Catastrophe and the Cure
by Auden Grey
Summary: Beck knew as long as Jade continued to spiral downward, Cat was going to keep regressing back to her childish self and there wasn't a thing he could do about any of it. AUish Bade. Complete.
1. Breakdown

**Sooo, I'm incredibly nervous to post this as it's my first chapter fic and different to any other thing I've written. It's going to be pretty angsty and sad and I'm almost sure a little OOC because I don't really see Jade doing all the things she does in this fic. Anyway, I hope you give it a chance!**

* * *

"Jade! Jade!"

"Over here, Jade!"

"What was jail like?"

Jade West tried to ignore the prominent pain between her eyes as she threw the hood of her black sweatshirt over her head and fixed her gaze to the pavement. The flashes were so bright from the numerous cameras that it almost made her trip and fall as her foot stumbled over a bump in the sidewalk. She just had to ignore them and it would all go away. She'd stay off the Internet for the next few days and avoid all social media like the plague. Soon enough, another young starlet in Hollywood would get arrested and she'd be old news.

Tori Vega didn't look too impressed while she lent against her sports car, arms crossed like a disappointed mother or something. Jade simply grunted and threw the passenger side door open and slipped in silently. Tori grumbled and got in the driver's side, keeping the radio on mute while she peered at Jade.

"Are you alright?"

Jade buckled her seat belt and nodded. "Just take me home."

"I can't believe you," Tori started lowly. She gripped the leather steering wheel tightly and tried not to run over the half a dozen paparazzi guys running after her speeding car. "I really can't believe you, Jade."

"Shut up, Vega," Jade hissed, massaging her temples. She could still taste the Jack Daniels. The smell was lingering on her clothes and honestly, it felt like an elephant was taking up residence on her head. "I'm not in the mood."

"I don't care," Tori snapped back. She stopped short at a red light and hit the steering wheel a few times. She was desperate to keep her frustration at bay but Jade's irrational decisions were wearing her down. "What were you thinking?" Tori prodded demandingly. "Huh, Jade? What was going through your mind as you stumbled out of that nightclub and punched that girl in the face?"

"She was being a bitch," came Jade's simple answer. She slumped further down in her seat and closed her eyes. But all she could see were the images from the night before. They were taunting her. It all happened in a flash. She was completely obliterated, falling out of the night club's front exit when all of a sudden some blonde bimbo started talking crap to her. About how she didn't deserve Beck, about how she was a crappy actress, about how she was ugly.

"So?" Tori screeched. "That doesn't mean you punch her!"

"Whatever!" Jade yelled. She hit the dashboard of Tori's car and kicked under the glove compartment repeatedly. Tori tried to stop her, but she kept going. Her foot was beginning to go numb as it collided with the hard material. But she refused to cry and be vulnerable near Tori.

"Jade," Tori sighed, pulling over and taking hold of Jade's trembling hands. Jade flinched and tried to break free but Tori was freakishly strong. "Jade, what is going on with you?"

Jade just shook her head and curled against the door. "Just take me home," she pleaded in the smallest voice Tori had ever heard. "Please."

Tori gave in and spent the rest of the car ride stealing glances at her friend and trying to figure out what was going through Jade's mind. It was terrifying enough she got a phone call at four o'clock in the morning from Jade saying she had been arrested for disorderly conduct. The Goth girl had grown incredibly distant over the last few months while Beck left for New York to film a new movie. Her own career was sort of at a standstill. Sure, she had two semi-successful slasher films under her belt and just wrapped a recurring role on a supernatural TV show as a ghost. But no new roles were being offered to her. Lately, Jade had taken a liking to alcohol and brushed her rapidly growing addiction off like it was no big deal. It helped her deal with the unpredictable nature of fame. It relaxed her.

"I called Beck."

Jade's head snapped up at Tori's shy revelation. "What?" she growled. "Why?"

"Jade, this is ridiculous," Tori whispered sadly. She peered at her friend and bit back the tears forming in her eyes. "This isn't you."

"Vega, I don't need a lecture," Jade scoffed. "I'm sure Beck's already got one planned."

"His flight should be in by noon."

"Great."

"You need him, Jade."

"I don't!" Jade exploded. She tugged at the seat belt constraining her in the leather seat and let out a strangled cry. "I'm not some damsel in distress that needs her boyfriend to come rescue her! I'm 21-years-old, Vega. I'm legally allowed to drink and go out and enjoy myself."

Tori just shook her head and pulled into Jade's driveway. Thankfully, there weren't any paparazzi around to accost them once they got out of the car. Jade immediately unbuckled her seat belt and reached for the door, but Tori was quick enough to pull her back.

"Let me go!"

"Listen to me," Tori hissed, her voice full of authority. Jade actually cowered back and crossed her arms in utter annoyance. "You go in there and explain to Cat why you spent the night in a jail cell. This is your mess, Jade. I'm not helping you clean it up this time."

"Whatever," Jade rolled her eyes. She flung the car door open and stormed up the walkway.

Explaining this mess to Cat was easier said than done. Cat was having a hard time lately and it didn't help that Jade was being extra distant. Once Cat turned eighteen, her parents sold their house and took off to travel the country in an RV. It damaged Cat in more ways than one but the Valentines paid no mind to it. Per usual, they looked to Jade for help because at the time, Jade actually had her life put together. She received a starring role in her first movie two weeks after graduation and thanks to her trust fund, she was able to buy a house and start her adult life. Cat came to live with her and attended a local community college for fashion design and worked part-time at Andre's small record label.

Tori languidly followed Jade up the gravel walkway and tugged nervously at her hair. She was beyond exhausted and the thought of listening to Cat cry about the repercussions of Jade's latest actions was none too appealing. But she had to. She was the one picking up the slack for Jade, carting Cat to school and wherever else the redhead needed to be. She still lacked a driver's license and showed no effort in obtaining one. It was starting to take a toll as Tori was in the middle of finishing up her second album. Her tour was about to begin in six weeks and if things with Jade weren't figured out by then, there was no way she could go and leave Cat behind.

Jade tried to enter her house as inconspicuously as possible. In a perfect world, Cat would still be asleep, but she knew better. Cat woke up at the crack of dawn no matter what time she went to sleep the night before. She probably freaked out immediately when she realized Jade never came home. It was inevitable.

Cat came barreling down the stairs as soon as the front door clicked shut.

"Jade!" she cried out desperately while she skipped the last two steps and flung her arms around Jade's waist. "I was so scared!"

Jade closed her eyes and tried to break free from Cat's iron grip. "I'm fine, Cat," she informed her friend dully. She removed her hood and tried not to look Cat directly in the eye. "There's nothing to be scared about."

"Why did you hurt that girl?" Cat asked innocently. She buried her face into Jade's chest and whimpered when the older girl remained silent. "Jade! Why?" She pressed again, pulling back to stare up at Jade. "It made you go to jail."

"I just did," Jade whispered in frustration. If she wasn't so hungover, she would have probably taken Cat in her arms and squeezed her reassuringly. But she felt so weak that she barely had any energy to talk. "It's over though, okay? We don't need to talk about it."

"But-"

"I said it's over!" Jade yelled. She broke free from Cat's grip and gently shoved the redhead away and into Tori. Despite Tori's earlier statement, she immediately wrapped Cat in her arms and held her tightly. "I'm going to bed."

Tori didn't bother to say anything. She sighed and stroked Cat's hair when the small girl started to tremble. "Hey, hey," she whispered. "She's okay."

"I don't like this new Jade," Cat admitted hoarsely. "I want the old Jade back."

"So do I," Tori agreed. She tilted Cat's chin upward and kissed her forehead. "Do you want to come spend the rest of the weekend with me?"

Cat rubbed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay. Go pack your stuff and I'll let Jade know."

Tori followed Cat up the stairs and poked her head into Jade's room when Cat disappeared into her room. Jade was curled up in the fetal position, crying softly into the black comforter.

"Hey," Tori whispered before taking a few steps over to the bed. "I'm gonna take Cat for the rest of the weekend. It might do you some good."

Jade sniffled and refused to look up from her pillow. "Whatever."

Tori taking Cat overnight was starting to become a recurrence. No matter how strained their relationship was, Tori and Jade always had a silent agreement that they'd always band together to take care of Cat. Jade was starting to feel like she and Tori were becoming Cat's divorced parents as she bounced back from house to house.

"Do you need anything?"

"Just for you to leave," Jade quipped in irritation.

"Alright," Tori gave in with an eye roll. "Bye, Jade." She knew Jade wasn't going to respond so she shut the door behind her and nearly jumped in fright when she came face to face with a somber looking Cat. "Cat," she laughed. "You scared me!"

"Sorry," Cat giggled. "Can I say goodbye to Jadey?"

"She's sleeping," Tori fibbed, taking Cat's hand in her own. She stared at Cat's pink duffel bag and smiled when she saw Mr. Longneck's head popping out. "Oh, so Mr. Longneck gets to sleepover this time?"

Cat patted her stuffed giraffe's head and grinned. "It's his turn this week!" She followed Tori down the stairs and tugged at her friend's hand shyly. "Beck is going to yell at Jade when he gets home, isn't he?"

"Probably," Tori said, patting Cat's head. She wasn't a big fan of lying to Cat. After all, the girl was twenty-years-old and more perceptive than people gave her credit for. "But, hey," she whispered. "You won't be here to hear it."

"Yeah," Cat replied with watery eyes. "I'm glad."

* * *

Beck Oliver plowed through the crowded baggage claim of LAX and tried to remain as covert as possible. He didn't sleep a wink on the plane as he was too worried about Jade. Admittedly, he was well aware of Jade's newly acquired addiction but he kept telling himself it was a phase. She was just under a lot of stress trying to book a new role. Beck knew the drinking would stop once she got a new job because Jade would have something to occupy her mind. It didn't help that he was constantly going back and forth between New York to wrap up his new movie.

He heard the whispering of the various people waiting for their luggage while he scrolled through his phone. There was a text from Tori.

_Hopefully you can get through to Jade. It's getting worse. I have Cat for the weekend…she's a wreck. _

Beck knew as long as Jade continued to spiral downward, Cat was going to keep regressing back to her childish self and there wasn't one thing he could do about it.

_Okay_. He texted back. _Thanks. Tell Cat it will be okay._

He knew things weren't going to be okay though. But as long as he had Tori to tend to Cat, his main focus could remain on Jade and getting her back on track.

"Beck!" It was a slimy paparazzi guy Beck recognized from other occasions.

"I'm not in the mood, man," Beck sighed while he grabbed his suitcase. He left it at that and began to walk away.

"Any comment on your girlfriend spending the night in the slammer?"

Beck stopped dead in tracks, clenched his fist, and exhaled in frustration. "Leave me alone," he demanded shortly.

"Why? You gonna punch me in the face like your girlfriend?"

It took every ounce of strength in Beck's body to keep on walking. As much as he would love to have popped the guy in the face, it would completely make the lecture he was going to give to Jade hypocritical. So, he kept walking and jumped in a waiting cab.

Despite being mid-afternoon, the house was dark. Neither Cat nor Jade opened the curtains or any of the windows. Beck sighed and dropped his luggage by the stairs, taking them two at a time. He rubbed his sweaty palms against the back of his jeans and slowly pushed the bedroom door open. Jade was passed out in the middle of the bed, her damp black hair spread across the pillows. Beck sighed and opened the curtains, smirking when the sun filtered through and immediately awoke Jade.

"What the-" Jade groaned, opening one eye to see what was going on. She buried her face back into the pillow and refused to look at her boyfriend.

"Morning, sunshine," Beck greeted. He tried to keep his tone as calm as possible. He didn't want to upset Jade early on in their conversation because she'd shut down instantly and ignore him. "Jade."

"I need sleep," Jade mumbled. "Come back later."

"We need to talk."

Jade yawned. "Not now."

"Yes, now," Beck corrected matter-of-factly. He sat on the side of the bed and ripped the covers off his "sleeping" girlfriend. "Jade, get up."

"I'd rather not."

"Jade!" Beck finally snapped. He forced Jade into a sitting position and took a hold of her wrists so she couldn't go anywhere. "What happened?" he tone was caring and full of concern. "What were you thinking?"

"I, I don't know," Jade admitted honestly. She allowed Beck to pull her into his lap and hold her tight. "I don't know."

Beck sighed against Jade's hair and rubbed her back when he felt her hot tears against his cheek. "What's going on with you, huh? This isn't you."

"I don't know," Jade repeated in a whimper. She stifled a sob and held onto her boyfriend as tight as possible. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Well, maybe you need to cut back on the drinking," Beck whispered, cradling Jade's head when she nuzzled his shoulder.

Jade scoffed and pulled away. "Excuse me?"

"Babe," Beck sighed, keeping a firm grip on his girlfriend. He looked in her eyes and frowned when they looked so empty and lost. This wasn't Jade. She was slowly morphing into a complete stranger and it was petrifying.

"No," Jade shook her head. She swiped her eyes and broke free. "Have you been talking to Vega about me behind my back? This is the same crap she was spouting off earlier!"

Beck shook his head and tried to grab Jade's hand. "No. We're just worried about you…Cat, too. She's so worried, Jade."

"Whatever," Jade rolled her eyes. She stormed down the stairs and began to rummage through her kitchen cabinets. "This conversation is over."

"No, it's not," Beck corrected hotly. He watched Jade pull the fridge door open harshly and reach for an almost empty bottle of wine. "Really? It's one o'clock in the afternoon! Damn it, Jade."

Jade ignored Beck's needling and polished off the rest of the bottle in one effortless sip. She dropped it in the sink and gripped the counter tops tightly. At least the wine would help settle her throbbing head.

"I'm going back to bed," she mumbled, purposely knocking into Beck's shoulder to make a point.

"We're not done," Beck warned while he watched Jade's retreating figure stomp up the stairs. Seconds later, the bedroom door slammed and he collapsed on the kitchen chair and groaned loudly.

Jade's problem was much more colossal than he thought.


	2. The Denial Twist

**Eek, thank you for all of your reviews! You guys are the best. **

* * *

This was not her Jade.

That's all Cat surmised as she scrolled through the plethora of pictures from Jade's arrest on her pink PearPad. She couldn't fall asleep in Tori's uncomfortable guestroom. After tossing and turning for most of the night, she gave up and decided to surf the Internet. It was a big mistake. Within seconds, there were links everywhere about Jade's run in with the law, all littered with the same pictures from various angles splashed all over the news articles.

Cat couldn't help but tear up. She hardly recognized her best friend anymore and it was terribly frightening. Her parents already abandoned her, would Jade do the same? The thought made her tremble. She clutched Mr. Longneck tight to her chest and tried to watch a cute kitten video to occupy her mind, but nothing was working. She couldn't look away from all the pictures and articles.

_West, 21, was arrested around 1:35 am and later released on bail_, Cat read tearfully. She glanced at the clock and shuddered when she realized it was a few minutes after 1:30. At this time last night, Jade was being carted downtown in the back of a police cruiser. Cat let out a tiny cry and reached for her phone. She had to call Jade. What if she decided to go out again and get into another fight?

As expected, Jade did not answer. Cat contemplated calling Beck but he'd probably tell her off for calling so late. She knew he was under a lot of pressure and the last thing she wanted to do was be a nuisance. Bad thoughts began to cloud her mind as she re-dialed Jade, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them with all her might while the phone rang and rang. No answer.

Cat slipped out of bed with Mr. Longneck forgotten on the bed and padded down the hallway. Tori wasn't in her room, which increased Cat's worry greatly. She descended down the stairs and peeked in every room of Tori's house. It was just as big as Jade's house but less scary. She finally found Tori slumped over her prized white piano, presumably rehearsing for her tour.

Tori looked up from the piano and sighed when she saw Cat's tearstained cheeks and trembling pose.

"What's wrong?" she asked tiredly.

Cat sunk her teeth into her bottom teeth to stop it from quivering. "I, I want Jade." She closed her eyes at how childish she sounded. "I tried calling her because I was scared she had to go jail again and, and she didn't answer!"

"Cat," Tori began calmly. She got up from the piano bench and stretched before placing a comforting hand on Cat's forearm. "It's almost two o'clock in the morning. She's probably sleeping."

"What if she's not?"

"She is."

"No! You don't know," Cat fought back hysterically. "You don't know, Tori!"

"I do know. Do you think Beck is going to let her run out and make the same mistake again?"

Cat tilted her head in contemplation. "No," she blubbered.

"Exactly," Tori smiled, engulfing Cat's much smaller hand in her own. She squeezed it in reassurance and started to pull Cat up the stairs. However, Cat remained defiant and held on to the banister. "Cat, please. Go back to sleep."

"I can't," Cat protested. "Jade was sitting in a jail cell at this time last night!"

"How do you know?" Tori questioned curiously. She decided to give Cat the space she needed to recollect herself and sat down on the wooden step.

"I read it online."

"Oh, Cat. Why?"

"I want Jade," Cat repeated again. Her voice was so heartbreakingly small and she resembled a pleading child while staring at Tori.

"I'm not driving you home this late," Tori whispered. She stood to her feet and tried again with Cat, holding her hand out. "Do you want to sleep in my bed with me?"

"No."

"Cat."

"Tori," Cat mocked nasally. "I wanna go home."

Tori rubbed her tired face and took several deep breaths. Cat had been a lot more needy lately. With Jade pulling away and busying herself with her new obsession, Cat started to turn back into her childish self. Tori could see it progressing rapidly as Jade's alcohol addiction. It was also around the same time when Cat's parents decided to take off two years ago. Tori hoped Cat would eventually get back on track, but it didn't seem like it. Cat didn't know how to deal with change. The only way she knew how to get attention was to act akin to a five-year-old. If she did that, Jade would come running. But it didn't seem like that anymore so Cat was left struggling to understand the whirlwind of change.

"How about we watch a movie?" Tori suggested calmly. She didn't want to give in to Cat so easily but the girl was on the verge of an unnecessary breakdown. "You can pick. Any movie you want."

Cat shook her head frantically and Tori braced herself for what was to come. "The Lion King? The Little Mermaid?" She began to spout off movie titles to see if it would turn Cat around. "Titanic?" Cat considered that one for a moment but stomped her foot. "Hmm, what about Mean Girls?"

"Just stop!" Cat finally cracked. "Stop, stop, stop!"

Tori didn't even bother to stop Cat when she stormed up the stairs. She was more than willing to let Cat cry herself to sleep because there was nothing more she could do about the situation.

* * *

Jade honestly could not remember the last Sunday she woke up without a pounding headache and overwhelming urge to vomit. Instinctively, her palm went straight between her eyes to massage the spot gently. An unfamiliar feeling of relief was present when she realized there was no pain. She smiled as she rolled onto her side, gazing at Beck while he snored softly. He was shirtless and it reminded her of how sexy he really was. She scooted closer and ran her finger up and down his chest, watching his eyes flutter open in confusion.

"Hi."

Beck yawned and brushed the hair out of his eyes. He smiled at Jade. "Were you trying to take advantage of me while I slept?"

"Never," Jade gasped innocently, smiling against Beck's lips when he kissed her.

Since Beck was away for the past month filming, her Sunday morning routine usually consisted of sleeping until noon (or whenever Cat finally grew impatient and woke her up), taking a few swigs from the bottle of Jack Daniels she has hidden in her sock drawer, and disappearing throughout the day to get her fix until Cat went to bed. Then she'd drink until she felt like it was enough to get through the night without worrying about her next movie role.

Though she loved Beck, he was throwing off her routine. Jade knew all too well he was going to press the issue of her arrest again. She couldn't sneak away to drink because Beck was going to be right behind her everywhere she went. In some ways, it was good for her to take the day off but that wasn't going to help the shakes she knew she was going to experience. It was a little over 24 hours without a drink in her system and she already felt a bit queasy thinking about it.

"I missed you," Jade admitted in a small voice, her fingers ghosting over her boyfriend's abs.

"I'm almost done," Beck promised, kissing Jade's forehead. He rubbed her back when she sighed against his chest. "I wrap Thursday."

Thursday. Four days. It gave Jade four days to rework her drinking routine so Beck wouldn't suspect anything more than he already did. Cat was easy to fool because she was too flighty to even realize what was going on. Jade had really taken on the role of Cat's mother and with the stress of her career; it was starting to take at toll. Cat wasn't doing too great in school partly due to the fact she didn't want to do the work and when she did want to do the work, Jade wouldn't help her.

"Finally," Jade feigned relief. She kept herself buried in Beck's arms, letting the familiarity settle. "Then what?"

Beck tangled his fingers in Jade's hair and shrugged. "I don't know. I might take a little break…you know, help you with Cat and other stuff."

"What do you mean by other stuff?"

"Auditions…" Beck whispered. He wasn't surprised when Jade pulled away. Jade was very adamant about other people doing favors for her career wise. She didn't want any special treatment because her boyfriend was an A-list star and she was slowly creeping up to the B-list. "Jade, come on. I just want to help."

"Yeah, well for your information," Jade snapped, throwing the bed covers off her. "I went on three auditions last week and I'm pretty sure I've got one of them in the bag. So I don't need your help, Beck."

She threw herself out of bed dramatically and was greeted with a severe case of the spins. She brushed it off because Beck would question it. There was no doubt in her mind that he already looked up the symptoms of an alcoholic. Playing pretend was what she was best at so she looked at this whole situation as the biggest role to date. She could easily convince Beck she was fine. All she really needed to do was keep it together for the rest of the day. It seemed easy enough.

At least that's what she told herself.

"I'm sorry," Beck apologized. He got out of bed and wrapped his arms around Jade from behind, letting his fingers creep up her shirt. He knew that would weaken Jade and get her to forgive him. "I just want to help."

Jade shivered as Beck's fingers roamed around her stomach. The tingles shot up her spine and her body began to tremble when he reached her breasts. It had been quite a while since they were together. Skype dates did not really help her frustration.

She turned around and pushed Beck down on the bed, straddling his waist as he went to sit up. Before Beck could even speak, her tongue was diving down his throat and her shirt was off in one swift motion. Beck just smirked.

"You really missed me, huh?"

Jade smirked back and slowly grinded on his groin. "I think you missed me more."

It didn't take long for the rest of their clothes to fall to the floor. Beck knew he had a lot of things to talk to Jade about but in that moment, all he cared about was being with his girlfriend. He could see the old Jade coming to surface and he thought maybe, just maybe she hasn't really lost herself just yet.

"Go make me breakfast," Jade demanded playfully once they were done. She threw her pajamas back on and dragged Beck out of bed like a child would.

Beck reluctantly put his pants on and threw Jade over his shoulder, smacking her butt as he trudged down the stairs. This was his Jade. Not the drunk girl falling out of bars and assaulting people. He didn't want to know that girl.

Jade flopped down in a chair and reached for her phone. She frowned when she had two missed calls and about six text messages from Cat and one from Tori that explained everything. They were all from the early morning.

"What's wrong?" Beck asked, noticing the concern on Jade's face.

"Cat," Jade mumbled. "She called me at like 1:30."

Beck raised an eyebrow and turned on the coffee pot. He figured talking about Cat would be a perfect segue into Jade's ordeal from Friday night. "Yeah? I heard she's been uh, pretty…" He trailed off when he realized Jade wasn't listening.

"Huh?" Jade finally responded, pushing her phone to the side. It seemed like Cat was okay. "She's Cat," she said vaguely. "She always gets like this around the time her parents left."

"Yeah," Beck nodded quietly. He made Jade a cup of coffee and placed it on the table in front of her. "You should, uh, you should probably talk to her."

"About?" Jade asked coyly, blowing on the steaming liquid.

"You know," Beck said, narrowing his eyes until Jade sighed. "No matter what Tori or I say it's not going to help. She needs to hear it from you that it will never happen again. It will never happen again, right?"

Jade bit back the annoyed sigh creeping up in her throat and nodded slowly. She hated how Beck spoke to her like a child. "Yes, sir."

"Jade, come on," Beck groaned. "You avoided me all day yesterday. I want to know what was going on when you socked that girl in the face."

"She was being a bitch," Jade exhaled angrily.

"So?"

"So!" Jade cried in frustration. Why couldn't he just drop it? "Look, I've already issued a public apology and she's not going to press charges. She's lucky I only punched her in the face."

"What did she say?"

Jade peered down at her coffee. "Just, just stupid stuff," she mumbled, almost afraid to look up at Beck because she knew the all too familiar expression he was wearing. She loved that he cared but needling her about the arrest was not going to bode well in the end. "I don't want to talk about it."

Beck went to argue back when the front door swung open. It was barely ten so he assumed Cat must have had a rough night and Tori didn't want to deal with her. It's not like he blamed Tori. He was well aware that she picked up most of the slack when he was gone it was starting to wear her down.

Tori appeared in the kitchen seconds later while a faint bang was heard upstairs followed by a door slamming shut.

"I've returned your precious darling," Tori said sarcastically, sitting down next to Jade and burying her face into her hands.

Jade smirked. "What'd you do to her?"

"Nothing!" Tori cried in defense. She greeted Beck with a head nod and fixed her attention back to Jade. "She's mad at me because I wouldn't drive her back home at 1:30 this morning."

"Why did she want to come home?"

Tori looked at Beck and then back at Jade, shrinking under her intense gaze. "She was afraid you were…she was afraid you went back to jail, Jade."

Jade flinched and drummed her fingers on the table nervously. "I'll go talk to her," she replied immediately. She knew there was no way of getting around this. As much as she would have loved to pin it all on Tori, Jade just couldn't.

"I have to go anyway," Tori said in one breath. She stood up and patted Beck's shoulder. "I'm meeting Andre. We're writing a new song together."

Beck nodded his head in approval and went to start breakfast while Jade awkwardly walked Tori out.

"Vega, wait," Jade called after Tori when she went to open the door. She stared down at her feet and twiddled her thumbs. "Thank you for the other night."

Tori smiled and rubbed Jade's arm. Her anger dissipated but the worry was still there and increasing every time she saw Jade. "You're welcome. Just promise me it won't happen again."

"It won't," Jade stated confidently. "And thank you for taking Cat. Just let me know how much I owe you for the bail…" she whispered in shame.

"Don't worry," Tori said, opening her arms. "I'll let it go for a hug."

"Vega-"

Tori cut Jade off and threw her arms around the Goth girl, squeezing her tight. Surprisingly, Jade hugged back for more than two seconds. "Take care of yourself, okay?" Tori whispered before she pulled away. Jade rolled her eyes good-naturedly but nodded.

"Okay, mom."

Tori feigned offense and said one last goodbye before slipping out the door. Jade sighed and climbed the stairs two at a time, knowing that explaining this all to Cat was going to be a mess. She knocked on the door and didn't even bother to wait for Cat to tell her to come in. Cat was curled up in a ball on her bed, surrounded by just about all of the stuffed animals she owned.

Jade sat down on the side of Cat's bed and patted her side. "Sit up," she commanded gently. "You and I have to talk."

"Kay," Cat sniffed. She sat up and pouted when all of the animals fell to the floor with the exception of Mr. Purple. "Mr. Purple is mad he can't go to Tori's anymore."

Jade decided to play along. "Why?" she asked, reaching out to take the giraffe from Cat.

"Because I'm never going back there," Cat mumbled. Her pout was still firmly in tact and Jade was trying not to sigh over it. "Tori's mean."

"Cat, Tori's not the one you should be mad at," Jade started softly. She tilted Cat's chin upwards so they were facing each other. "I'm the one you should be mad at."

"I could never be mad at you Jade," Cat said innocently.

"But you should," Jade replied more firmly. She threw Mr. Purple to the ground when she noticed Cat was too busy fixated on him and not her. Cat tried to reach for it but Jade held her on the bed. "Cat, please. Look at me."

Cat shook her head. "I don't want to talk about you going to jail."

"I was only in there for three hours, Cat," Jade pointed out softly. But Cat wasn't listening. Now she was twirling her hair and humming softly to herself. "Cat!"

"Whaty?"

"I'm trying to explain to you what happened."

"I already know what happened!" Cat cried. "I read everything online."

Jade closed her eyes and took several deep breaths when Cat sprung off the bed and began to collect all of her prized stuffed animals. "Caterina," she snapped, knowing her icy tone would get Cat to listen. "Sit down."

Cat decided to be fresh and sat down on the floor with a small smirk. Jade narrowed her eyes and pointed to the bed, mentally patting herself on the back when Cat scrambled back on to her small twin sized bed.

"What I did was wrong," Jade admitted. It was the first time she said it out loud. She knew deep down the girl didn't deserve to get punched but the alcohol combined with the hurtful words just set her off into a fit of rage she never experienced before. "And I'm never going to do it again, okay?"

"Kay, kay!" Cat smiled. She sat up on her knees and wrapped Jade in a tight hug.

Jade just hugged Cat back because she lost the smaller girl completely. "I think you should apologize to Tori."

"Fiiiine," Cat jutted her bottom lip out in defeat. "I'll color her a pretty picture."

"Whatever," Jade said, rising to her feet. She left Cat to her own devices and headed back down the stairs. The smell of pancakes wafted through the foyer and dining room and when Jade reached the kitchen, Beck was flipping pancakes like some sort of master chef.

"Look at you," she teased, reaching for her coffee. It was lukewarm and disgusting.

"How's Cat?" Beck asked, eyeing Jade as she shoved the mug into the microwave and zapped it for thirty seconds. "Is she okay now?"

"She's pouty," Jade said distantly. She was too busy with her coffee to see the concern on Beck's face. "But like I said, she's always like this around this time of the year. She'll be fine."

Beck gripped the spatula to curb his frustration. Why couldn't Jade see that she was the one causing Cat's regression, not the girl's absentee parents. Cat barely mentioned them anymore.

"Okay," Beck conceded when he heard Cat skipping down the stairs. She appeared in the kitchen seconds later, squealing obnoxiously at the sight of him.

"Beck!" she beamed, launching herself into Beck's arms. She hugged him tightly and squealed again when he lifted her up. "Hiii! I missed you so much! Are you back for a long, long time? Or do you have to go back to New York? I've always wanted to go to New York! One time, my brother went to New York and-"

"Do you want some pancakes?" Jade cut in swiftly. She detached Cat from her shirtless boyfriend and swung her in the direction of the table. Cat nodded frantically and sat down with a giggle. "Good. Now eat."

Cat dove right into the pancakes and hummed happily to herself. She loved Beck being around because he would be able to keep track of Jade.

"I have to go back tonight," Beck told Cat gently, ruffling the redhead's hair when she whimpered and dropped her fork sullenly. "But, hey, I'll be back next weekend."

"Yay!"

Jade rolled her eyes at how easily Cat's mood changed. "For a while," she emphasized with a wide smile.

"Yay again!" Cat clapped between forkfuls of food. "Robbie is coming to visit tomorrow from Chicago for two whole weeks! We can all be together for my birthday!"

Beck completely forgot Cat's birthday was coming up. He was a bit afraid of what Jade was going to plan. After all, Cat was the youngest in their group and since she was turning 21, it was going to be something big.

"We should go to Disneyland for your birthday," Beck suggested, knowing Cat would fall for that idea instantly.

"No!" Jade guffawed, finishing the rest of her coffee. She rose to make herself another cup to curb her shakes. "I've been waiting so long for her to turn 21. We're getting her drunk."

Cat shrunk in her seat and looked at Beck sadly. "No," she mouthed to him shyly. Beck reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

The shrill ring of Jade's cell phone broke the awkward silence and she nearly dropped her coffee cup reaching for it. "It's my agent," she breathed out nervously. "Sssh."

Cat (and Beck) silently prayed that it was good news and Jade at least booked one role from the auditions she went on last week. Cat was too scared to watch and was grateful when Jade left the room because she looked mad.

Jade paced around the dining room, pulling anxiously at her hair. "Just get to the point," she snapped when her agent seemed to be beating around the bush.

"I'm sorry, Jade," her agent's soft voice sighed. "The studio doesn't want to take the chance on you. They don't want to risk their image if they book a lead actress who was recently arrested."

"Whatever," Jade snapped. She didn't bother to say goodbye and slammed her phone down on the table.

She needed a drink so very bad.


	3. This Daydream is Dangerous

**So this chapter has a lot more insight on Jade's family and kind of explains things a little bit. I'm trying to move things along realistically because I've known people like Jade so I hope things aren't moving too, too slow. The story won't be that long-maybe a little over 10 chapters. Thanks again for all of your feedback. I really appreciate it!**

* * *

Jade didn't know how it got this bad.

Despite her rebellious nature in high school, she never really drank. She saw how it affected her mother and always promised herself she'd never end up like her. While her father buried himself in work, Jade was forced to take care of her mother. From sunup to sundown, Anna West would drink. Mostly in private for fear she'd expose Jade to the same lifestyle, but when things were bad, she'd gallivant all around their mansion moaning about her absentee husband. Jade just brushed it off because for as long as she could remember, her mother was a drunk. She mostly a happy drunk and Jade actually preferred it. When Anna was sober, she was miserable. She constantly berated Jade for the way she dressed and put her down every chance she got.

Jade would come home from school to find her mother usually passed out on their luxurious Italian leather sofa, drink in hand. That's when she'd go spend the night at either Beck or Cat's. Beck knew all about her mother and always promised to be there. And he was. Cat, on the other hand, was too childish and innocent to understand. Jade didn't want to expose her to anything she wasn't really familiar with. The Valentines did not allow alcohol in their home mostly in part to their son who nearly lit the whole house on fire when he knocked over a bottle of vodka and tried to light it with a match.

Anna West died shortly after Jade's sixteenth birthday. She felt more relief than pain. It was like a weight had been lifted and she could finally live her life. Her father vowed to spend more time at home but that lasted for two weeks. Jade didn't mind though. She and her father had an okay relationship. He grew to be supportive of her career and always found the time to see one of her plays. Then, he got a new wife and he practically dropped off the face of the earth. He didn't even call when she got arrested. That surprised Jade. Normally if she was appearing on the cover of magazines with her risqué fashion choices, he'd call and tell her to cover up. It always made her laugh. But since Jennifer came, Elliot West became a stranger.

Maybe Jade needed her father to lash out on her like he did her mother. He'd be able to talk some sense into her.

_You doing okay?_

Jade couldn't help but smile as she read Beck's text message. He'd be home in two days and she willed herself to stay sober for at least a day and a half. She didn't get the other parts she auditioned for and just couldn't do it. She told Cat she was taking a nap so the little redhead wouldn't bother her. Instead of napping, she polished off the half empty bottle of Jack Daniels from her sock drawer and grabbed another one hidden under her bathroom sink.

_Of course_, she typed back, squinting to see the keyboard on her phone. She couldn't make any mistakes because then Beck would be on to her. He wouldn't believe it was auto correct's fault.

_Good :)_

Jade rolled her eyes. Beck knew all about her disdain for emoticons. Despite her hatred, she sent back a smiley face of her own and threw her phone to the side. The afternoon sun was starting to fade and she suddenly realized she had been in her room for nearly three hours.

So she wasn't surprised when there was a timid knock on her door.

"Jade?" Cat's muffled voice asked quietly. "Jade, are you awake?"

Jade was glad she locked the door when the knob began to turn frantically. She capped the liquor bottle and stuffed it in her drawer, shoving two pieces of gum in her mouth and spraying the room just incase any scent was lingering.

"Yeah," she slurred, shutting her eyes. She only intended to get a little bit tipsy, not completely wasted. But it was just Cat. The poor girl was easily fooled. "One second." She checked herself in the mirror and nearly flinched. Her reflection barely looked like her. Black hair fell limply past her shoulders while the giant bags under her eyes indicated she hadn't slept in days.

"Are you alive?" Cat pressed in a whiny voice.

Jade took a deep breath and swung her door open a little too quickly. She lost her footing and nearly fell into Cat. "I'm alive."

"I can see," Cat giggled, patting Mr. Purple as if he were a real animal. "Do you wanna go to Nozu with Andre, Robbie, and Tori? Andre and Robbie said they have big news and since you've been up here all day…"

The mere thought of mixing alcohol and raw fish made Jade's stomach lurch.

"I'll pass," Jade mumbled, using the door for support. She could barely see straight. "Have fun though."

Cat pouted. "I want you to come!"

"I'm not hungry," Jade lied, hoping that would work. But when Cat wanted something she wouldn't relent until she was left victorious. "But you go," she insisted more firmly.

"But Jaaaadeee," Cat continued to whine, jutting her bottom lip as far out as it would go and stomping her foot against the wooden floor of the hallway. "You've been hiding in your room for the last few days! I want to hang out with you!"

Jade knew there was no way around this. Cat would continue to whine and pout and eventually, Jade would snap and lose her temper. She'd no doubt flip out on Cat and rattle off so many curse words that it would surely make Cat faint. Tori was already suspicious when she called earlier to ask her something. How would she even begin to convince her she was fine?

"What time are you going?" Jade asked. If she had enough time to gulp several glasses of water down her throat, maybe she'd be able to sober up.

"At 5:30 so we have enough time to snuggle on the couch and watch a movie!" Cat beamed as her body shook with excitement. "Okay, Jade? Okay?"

Jade pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled. "Fine," she replied slowly, dragging out the word. Cat took immediate notice. "Put in a movie and I'll be right down."

Cat skipped off in sheer delight, leaving Jade to pop some aspirin and guzzle down the warm water Beck left on her bedside table three days ago. It still wasn't enough. She had to pull it together. She took a quick shower and hoped the steam would somehow sweat out most of the alcohol. It seemed to help, as when she got out, her vision wasn't as blurry as it was before. Seeing two Cats nearly sent her into a tizzy.

Surprisingly, Jade was greeted with the opening sequence of The Scissoring when she finally got downstairs a good fifteen minutes later. Cat didn't question it though. She just patted the spot next to her and curled up against Jade when she plopped down with a strained sigh.

"You hate this movie," Jade said to Cat in confusion. She drank more water and tried not to get annoyed when Cat gripped her arm. "Ah, I see," she couldn't help but grin. "You put in this movie so you could do this, huh?"

Cat shook her head and giggled cutely. "No!"

"Uh huh," Jade countered, her fingers digging into Cat's side. It made her genuinely smile when Cat screeched in happiness.

Jade stretched her legs out on the coffee table and wrapped her arm around Cat, rubbing the younger girl's arm absently. Cat was more than used to this movie but she still screamed and whimpered at the bloody parts. Jade knew it was a ploy so they could snuggle, but she was grateful Cat didn't put in the Little Mermaid or something similar. The happiness would probably make her puke.

Cat grimaced when the gore appeared on the screen, dropping her head in Jade's lap and hiding her face in Mr. Purple. She sighed contently when Jade stroked her hair.

"I heard they're doing a remake of this movie," Cat mumbled against Mr. Purple's soft fur. She nearly got whiplash when Jade removed the animal and tilted Cat's head to the side so she was looking up. "Ouch!"

"They're remaking this?" Jade asked quickly. "Where did you hear that?"

"I read it on Perez Hilton," Cat confirmed. "I think…"

Jade's face lit up. It was her dream role to play Tawny Walker-Black. This would be her chance to get her career back on track and make it big.

"You should star in it!"

"Yeah, I should," Jade scoffed matter-of-factly. She knew she probably wouldn't be able to get an audition without the help of Beck. As much as that irritated her, she was willing to do whatever to play this role. "You just made my day, baby girl."

Cat smiled shyly and giggled when Jade kissed her forehead. "I did? Yay!"

Her Jade was back! This, this was her Jade. Not the cold and distant Jade who hid in her room for the past three days.

* * *

Jade didn't really believe in God, but she was pretty sure he was the one who helped her pull herself together when it was time to go to Nozu. Sure she was still a bit tipsy, but that was easy enough to hide. All she needed to do was sip her drink slowly and throw out a few sarcastic jabs and insults toward Robbie's way to trick people into thinking she was totally sober.

When they got there, Jade climbed out of Andre's obnoxiously oversized SUV and adjusted her sunglasses on her head. Despite being dark out, she needed something to hide behind if the paparazzi came charging toward her. Though lucky for her, Alyssa Vaughn was recently arrested for drug possession so that took some of the heat off her. And since she was with Tori, she was positive they'd hound her more because candid shots of her generally garnered more money.

Cat, who wasn't used to all the attention, held onto Robbie's hand tightly and allowed him to pull him through the sea of photographers. They were all shouting Tori, Jade, and Andre's name, cameras shoving in their faces. Cat whimpered and blinked rapidly to rid herself of the spots she was currently seeing. It was then she somehow lost Robbie in the crowd and found herself being shoved all around a bunch of smelly men.

Jade looked behind her just in time to see one guy knock Cat to the ground and step over her like she was nothing. She and Andre immediately swooped in to pull Cat back to her feet. Jade held her protectively and glared at the unapologetic man.

"Be careful," she hissed, guiding Cat behind her so she wouldn't end up blind.

Instead of walking away, the man simply laughed. "Are you gonna punch me?"

It was like a switch had been turned on. Jade suddenly felt the anger pulsate through her veins and she lunged forward, only to be pulled back by Andre who had his arm firmly around her waist.

"Watch it," Andre warned the photographer, keeping his grip on Jade. She was breathing heavily but there was no way he was going to let her make the same mistake twice. Especially since he owed it to his friends to keep an eye out for them while Beck was still in New York. "Next time you won't be so lucky."

"Let me go," Jade demanded once Andre dragged her inside the entrance of the restaurant. She glared at Robbie, who sheepishly stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned away. "What the hell is wrong with you? You can't just leave Cat!"

Cat blinked and latched onto Andre's forearm as Tori stepped forward. "Calm down," she whispered to Jade. "Don't make a scene."

Jade bit her lip because Tori knew. Tori knew she had already been drinking. She was going to blow her cover and ruin everything. Instead of fighting back, Jade removed her sunglasses and patted Cat's head. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Cat promised with a smile. "I'm okay! Paparazzi guys are meanies."

Tori went to check on their reservation and made sure they got a table nestled in the corner so no one could really bother them. Jade was already on edge and any unwarranted attention was going to set her off. She also made sure to tell Mrs. Lee, the crazy, fame-obsessed owner not to bother Jade either. Luckily, the owner did as she was told and escorted them to a private table in a private room none of them knew Nozu had. It was much needed.

Cat pushed Robbie so she could sit next to Jade. Tori took the seat next on the other side of her, which caused Jade to fidget uncomfortably. Robbie sat next to Cat and Andre took the seat across from Jade, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

"Aright, I can't wait anymore," Andre said, his face resembling a child's on Christmas morning. Cat giggled at his excitement. "I'm gonna be the opening act on Tori's tour!"

Cat immediately responded. "Hehe, Tori's tour!"

Jade sipped her water and forced a smile. "Wow," she replied in her usual monotone. "That's awesome. Congrats."

"Thanks," Tori nodded with a smile. "We're really excited."

"That's so fun!" Cat clapped. "I want to come see you guys!"

"Our first date is in Los Angeles," Andre winked. "You better be there front and center, Little Red."

"I will, I will!"

"So will I!" Robbie added in hastily, not wanting to be left out. "I have some news of my own."

Jade slumped down in her chair as everyone turned their attention back to Robbie. She cleared her throat and couldn't help but kick his legs under the table.

"Spit it out!"

"Ow! Jade!" Robbie whined dramatically. He leaned down to rub his shin with a pout that resembled the likes of Cat Valentine. "As I was saying," he began again, glaring at a smirking Jade. "I'm also going on tour!"

"On Tori's tour?" Cat asked, still giggling at how silly it sounded.

Robbie scowled. "No! I'll be joining a comedy troupe!"

"Nice," Andre nodded in approval, bumping his fist with Robbie's. "Where's your first stop?"

"Uh," Robbie cleared his throat. "Well, it's more like a cruise line…"

Jade burst out laughing. "You're cruise ship entertainment?"

"I'm not surprised," Tori joined in on the laughter, as did Andre once the sentence settled with him.

Cat, however, was more supportive. "I think that's great!" she complimented Robbie, fluttering her eyelashes at him when he blushed. "Go Robbie!"

"Thanks, Kitty Cat," Robbie shrugged his shoulders shyly. He waved over Mrs. Lee and frowned when she ignored him. "Why isn't she coming over?"

"Yo, Mrs. Lee," Andre called. Mrs. Lee came running over.

"Yes my favorite young record producer?" Mrs. Lee asked with a winning smile.

"My boy over here wants to order."

Robbie sighed and pulled himself together. "Yes, hi," he greeted.

"Hurry up!" Mrs. Lee demanded. "I have more important customers in my lounge!"

"Okay, okay," Robbie said hotly. "I would like a bottle of your most expensive wine and four glasses please." When Cat pouted, he snapped to get Mrs. Lee's attention. "And a Shirley Temple for the kid."

"Yay!"

Jade could feel Tori's concerned gaze on her. She made an effort to flip through the menu and just ignore her. Besides, wine was like water to her. It didn't really affect her as much it would affect someone else. She could easily polish off three glasses without feeling a thing.

"We're celebrating," Robbie informed Mrs. Lee after she was done barking orders to a frightened young man.

"Good for you." With that, Mrs. Lee slinked away to check out the new customer at the door.

Jade assumed this would be the part where she would share her own good news but since she didn't have any, she sat back and traced the rim of her water glass.

Mrs. Lee returned with the shiny wine bottle and Jade was the first to pour herself a glass. She filled it up to the brim and continued to ignore Tori's pestering gaze. Robbie took the bottle next and Cat slurped her Shirley Temple happily as she swung her legs back and forth underneath the table.

"Stop looking at me, Vega," Jade grumbled lowly. "I'm fine."

Tori bit her lip and decided against lecturing Jade in the middle of dinner. Everyone but Jade ordered sushi. She opted for a salad but the putrid smell coming from every angle was starting to make her stomach churn. It didn't help that Cat was constantly waving her California roll around wildly as she told the group an uninteresting story about a guy in her class who broke his toe.

"Cat! Stop waving your food in my face!" Jade finally snapped, hitting Cat's hand away and knocking the chopstick out of her hand. Cat looked forlornly at her wasted sushi roll and huffed dramatically. "That's what you get."

"You can have some of mine," Robbie offered kindly. He scooped two rolls onto Cat's plate and pinched her cheek lovingly. "All for you!"

Cat was happy again. Jade made sure no one was watching when she refilled her wine glass. Her assumption about wine was way off. Not only did it hit her right away, it also made her extremely dizzy and nauseous. She was going to puke.

Without warning, Jade sprung from her chair and made a mad dash to the ladies room. She could hear her friends muttering about her sudden move but she didn't care. As soon as she bent down in the first stall, the contents of her stomach emptied. Her forehead began to perspire as she wretched and wretched. It was mostly bile seeing as she didn't eat anything since the early morning.

She kept thinking about her mother and all the times she found her in the bathroom, puking her brains out and crying out in pain. Her head was spinning violently and she was praying this wouldn't lead to a blackout.

"Jade?" The bathroom door opened and Jade closed her eyes at Tori's soft voice.

"I'm fine, Vega," Jade managed to blurt out shakily. She was trying to swallow down the bile rising fast in her throat to convince Tori she was okay. But it didn't work. It came out so fast Jade barely registered it. A loud gagging sound followed and the next thing she knew, Tori was pounding on the stall door.

"Let me in," Tori demanded, trying her best to stay calm. "Jade," she tried again, tugging at the flimsy door. "Please."

Jade had no choice. She wiped her chin with her sleeve and used all her strength to unlock the door. Tori's face immediately fell and Jade expected a verbal lashing that was a long time coming. But Tori just sighed and bent down next to her with concern written all over her face.

"How much did you drink before you came?" Her voice was calm.

Shrugging, Jade looked down. "I don't know."

"Jade," Tori said more firmly. "How much did you drink before you came?"

"About a whole bottle of Jack Daniels," Jade admitted, her voice breaking. Why was she admitting this all to Tori? She was going to rat her out to Beck.

"Why?" Tori's voice shook. She held Jade's hair back when she went to turn and puke again. "Just breathe," she whispered, rubbing Jade's back when her breathing became erratic. "Breathe, Jade."

Tori was usually pretty good in a crisis but Jade was so far gone that she couldn't control herself. She kept rocking back and forth, muttering under her breath as she choked out sob after sob. Tori's eyes were welling up with tears and the last thing she needed was for Cat to come in after her to see what was happening.

"You're okay," Tori attempted to say. She finally got her arms around Jade and pulled her close. Both girls were petrified. "Jade, look at me, okay? You're okay."

"Beck," Jade choked out in between gasps of air. "I, I need Beck."

"He's in New York," Tori informed the hysterical girl slowly, as if she was talking to a small child or even Cat. Jade just shook her head. "He's coming home soon."

"No," Jade slammed her eyes shut, covering her face with her hands. The pain between her eyes was back with a vengeance. "Y-you can't tell him," she mumbled faintly. "Please, T-Tori."

Tori swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded her head just to appease Jade. She was finally starting to calm down and Tori didn't want to induce another mini breakdown. One was scary enough. But things were spiraling out of control so rapidly. Beck needed to know and Tori was willing to risk the wrath of Jade West if it was going to save her.

Jade leaned back against the stall and closed her eyes. She could clearly see the image of her mother perched over their toilet with violent gagging noises emitting from her mouth. It was a normal day so Jade walked away completely unfazed. Then the sound stopped and Anna West had died, choking on her own vomit.

Realization hit her. If she kept it up, she could suffer the same fate as her deceased mother. Jade didn't want that. But she was too proud to admit she had a problem and too stubborn to admit she needed help.


	4. The Battle's In Your Hands Now

**This chapter was kind of hard to write? I had it all pictured in my head perfectly and I don't think it came out the way I had hoped but nevertheless, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for the constant feedback and follows. I really appreciate it!**

* * *

"It's my birthday! It's my birthday!"

The sound of Cat's shrill voice immediately woke Jade from a deep sleep. She groaned and lifted her head from the pillow, slamming her eyes shut again when the clock told her it was barely seven a.m. Beck was snoring softly beside her, having gotten in late last night. He didn't even wake her when he got back. It made Jade think he knew more than she was telling him.

"Cat!" she hissed softly. "Beck's sleeping."

Oh," Cat giggled into her hands, climbing into the bed. She flopped down on her back in between Beck and Jade and buried her face into Mr. Purple. "It's my birthday, Jade!" she stage whispered excitedly.

"I know," Jade forced a smile. She rolled onto her side and watched as Cat wiggled her toes in delight. "Why are you up so early?"

"I'm too excited to sleep!"

"Cat! Your voice."

"Sorry," Cat whimpered with a pout. She sighed and peered over at Beck. "How long is Beck going to sleep for?"

"For a while. He didn't get in until three," Jade yawned. "Try and go back to sleep."

"Kay," Cat conceded pretty easily. She wiggled her way under the covers and stared up at the ceiling. Trying to sleep when you weren't tired wasn't very fun.

Jade started to rub Cat's stomach in an attempt to help settle her. She knew Cat was restless but there was no way she was getting up this early. It was a rare time where she didn't have a hangover and all she wanted to do was curl up next to Beck and spend the day in bed. After the night at Nozu, she scared herself and tried to avoid alcohol for a bit. It was hard but she busied herself with Cat and even somehow managed to score a last minute audition that went pretty well.

After a few minutes, Jade felt her eyes beginning to shut again. Then, she felt Cat roll over and tug on her shirt.

"Whatttt?" she moaned tiredly.

Cat giggled again and moved closer. "I'm hungry. I want my birthday waffles!" Jade always made Cat waffles on her birthday.

"Ugh, fine," Jade groaned. She threw the bed covers off her and motioned for Cat to follow. She decided to let Beck sleep. The longer, the better and she wouldn't have to deal with yet another lecture.

Cat was glad that even though Jade was drifting further and further away she could still cling to this normalcy of her birthday tradition. She followed Jade down the stairs after making a pit stop to grab her phone from her bedroom. She was expecting her parents to call. It would be the first time in months.

Jade immediately turned on the coffee pot and started to grab the ingredients for the waffles. Cat sat down at the island and carefully placed her phone down on the marble counter. She studied it intensely while stroking Mr. Purple's fur. Jade poured herself a cup of coffee and inhaled the aroma of the fresh beans with a content smile. The smile soon faded when she saw Cat peering at her phone.

"You know what they say, Cat," Jade began dryly. "A watched phone never boils."

"Do you think my mommy and daddy will call?" Cat asked innocently.

Jade bit her lip and looked down at her steaming coffee. She hated when Cat brought her parents up. It was a rarity, but when she did, it always startled her. Cat and Beck were the only two constant fixtures in her life. The thought of the Valentines coming back and taking Cat away scared her.

It made her want to drink.

"Maybe," Jade finally answered when Cat was looking at her expectantly. "But don't obsess over it, okay?"

Cat nodded and pushed her phone away. "Kay, kay," she whispered like an obedient child. "I, I just…"

Jade put down her cup and reached over the counter for Cat's hands. She squeezed them tightly and smiled at her. "I know," she swallowed. "But you'll always have me, Beck, Tori, Andre, and Robbie, okay?"

"Yeah," Cat smiled as her eyes began to twinkle with tears. "I know."

Jade pulled away and began to make the waffles. Cat set three plates (just incase Beck got up) and diligently poured orange juice into her cup. She waited as patiently as possible for Jade to finish and nearly fell off her seat in excitement when Jade finally placed the waffles in front of her in.

Beck shuffled in minutes later, rubbing his eyes and blowing his hair out of his face. Cat squealed during mid-bite, almost choking. She slid off the seat and launched herself into Beck. If he wasn't up before, he was now.

"Whoa, whoa," Beck laughed nervously, trying to steady himself as Cat climbed up his body. "Morning, birthday girl."

"Now we're all the same age!" Cat shrieked. "And I'm so happy you're back!"

"Don't choke him," Jade demanded playfully as she stole a bite of Cat's waffles. Cat gasped and wiggled her way back down to her feet.

"Mine!"

Jade rolled her eyes and forced a smile when Beck kissed her head. "Cat," he began, wrapping his arms around Jade. "Why don't you eat your waffles in the living room?"

Cat stared at Beck quizzically. She was never allowed to eat anywhere else except for the kitchen. "Why?"

"Just go," Jade groaned, knowing this could take a while. When Cat finally scampered away, she turned in Beck's arms and kissed him. "Did she wake you?"

Beck shrugged it off. "You weren't going to let me sleep anyway."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jade feigned innocence, going back to her coffee. "You can help me pick the bar for later on."

"Cat doesn't want to go to a bar," Beck said softly. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sipped it slowly. "I think she wanted to go to Disneyland."

"We're not going to Disneyland," Jade scoffed. "It's her 21st birthday! Who spends their 21st birthday at Disneyland?"

"Cat."

"We're going out," Jade finalized.

Beck shook his head. "Jade," he began firmly. "This is Cat's birthday, not yours."

Jade was getting perturbed. This was _her_ best friend's birthday, not Beck's. Cat would automatically agree to whatever she planned. "So?"

"So?" Beck mocked. He could see the fatigue in Jade's face. It looked like she hadn't slept in weeks and her growing irritability was a telltale sign her alcohol dependency had increased. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?" Jade challenged.

"Forget it."

"No, Beck," Jade pressed angrily. "How am I acting? Tell me."

"I've been home for like five hours, Jade. I don't want to fight."

"Then maybe you should think about what you say," Jade snapped, forcefully shoving her cup into the sink. Beck closed his eyes when it clinked with what he assumed were wine glasses. "Congratulations," she hissed, bumping into Beck's shoulder when she walked passed. "You've been home a grand total of five hours and you've already pissed me off."

Cat wandered into the kitchen humming to herself. She nearly dropped her plate when she saw Beck and Jade staring intensely at one another. "Hey!" she whimpered sadly. "No fighting on my birthday!"

"Blame Beck," Jade mumbled. She rubbed her face and wrung her hands nervously together when they started to shake. "He started it."

Cat shook her head and quickly jumped in when Beck went to speak. "No!" she yelled, bottom lip quivering. "Just stop! Don't ruin my birthday."

"We're not fighting," Beck promised, obviously lying through his teeth. Cat was too busy sniffling to notice the crack in his voice. Jade, on the other hand, picked up on it right away and rolled her eyes, scowling. "We're not."

"You sounded like you were," Cat countered shyly. She dumped her plate in the sink and stared out the window, trying to get her mind off it.

Jade knew she had to be the bigger person and let Beck's words go for now. She grabbed Cat's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, pulling the smaller girl into her arms for a much needed hug. Cat clung to her immediately. "How about we go shopping?" she whispered, smoothing down Cat's hair. "I'll buy you a dress for your birthday."

Cat shrieked and nodded her head frantically. "Beck! You come too!"

"No thanks," Beck chuckled, poking at the leftover waffles. "I need to catch up on my sleep. What do you want to do for your birthday?"

Jade looked at her boyfriend deviously. "Leave that to me."

Cat just shrugged and skipped out of the room. Jade sauntered by, only to have Beck grab her arm and hold it tight. "You better behave," he warned lowly.

Jade huffed and tugged her arm free. "Whatever."

Beck knew this was going to be a disaster.

* * *

Cat looked so out of her element as she reluctantly followed behind Jade. She adjusted her new flowery dress and grabbed Beck's hand when they reached the entrance of the club. Jade promised she would take care of everything and deep down Cat was frightened. She didn't want to drink but Jade seemed so excited and honestly, Cat couldn't remember the last time she saw her best friend so happy. Tori sensed Cat's uneasiness and twirled her ponytail playfully, taking hold of the redhead's free hand.

Jade simply smirked at the bouncer and he lifted the rope for everyone to go through. He stopped at Cat. She giggled nervously and produced her ID, fluttering her eyelashes when the bouncer took his time to make sure it was actually real. Tori held tight to Cat as they tried to keep up with Jade. The club looked like it had reached maximum capacity and Robbie was trying his best not to get crushed. Andre had already found a couple girls and Cat tried not to frown when he disappeared into the sea of people.

"VIP," Jade beamed as she finally reached the private table she reserved. There were several bottles of alcohol waiting for them. "What do you want for your first legal drink, Cat?"

Cat bit her lip and shrugged. "I dunno," she whispered.

"Perhaps something fruity?" Robbie suggested with a goofy grin. "I'll get it for you!"

"Nothing too strong, Rob," Beck warned as Robbie passed him. He could feel Jade's frustrated gaze on him but tried to ignore it. After their argument at breakfast, she avoided him like the plague and shut herself in the bathroom for nearly two hours to get ready. He knew what she was doing.

Cat was still attached to Tori, peering curiously at all the alcohol sitting on the table in a tub of ice. She vaguely recognized one of the bottles, Jack Daniels, as something Jade liked to drink late at night.

"Here," Tori said to Cat, leading her over to the couch. "Sit and enjoy yourself." It was more than obvious Cat didn't want to be there and Tori just wanted to scoop the younger girl up and take her home.

Jade didn't waste any time diving in. She reached for the Jack Daniels and poured it into a glass, quickly concealing it with the can of coke while Beck and the others talked aimlessly about themselves. She was supposed to be on her best behavior but whatever. She only had two shots beforehand. It was going to take a while before the alcohol hit.

Robbie returned with Cat's drink and presented it to her happily. "Here you, birthday girl!" he sang, kissing the top of Cat's head. "Drink up!"

Cat forced a smile and twirled the straw around in the red-orange liquid, picking the cherry off and popping it in her mouth. She took a small, dainty sip and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. "Yummy!"

Andre returned with a smirk and a provocatively dressed woman on his arms. Jade glared and took a large gulp. This was a _private_ party that she paid for. Who did Andre think he was? Beck just shook his head while Robbie stared at the woman slack jawed.

As the night progressed, Cat was still nursing the drink Robbie bought her over an hour ago. Beck stuck to water, knowing if he even took a sip of alcohol Jade would call him a hypocrite during their next fight about her drinking. She was currently on her third or fourth, he had lost count. Andre disappeared again and Tori sipped her cocktail in disgust. She kept stealing glances at Jade, frowning when Jade's balance began to get wobbly. She nudged Beck, who grimaced.

"Cat," Jade scoffed. "Will you finish that drink?"

Despite the loud music, Cat noticed the tone in Jade's voice. It was slurred and very different than her usual voice. She looked up at Beck tearfully and bit her lip in an effort to stop them from spilling over. She wanted to go home.

"Take Cat to the bathroom," Beck said to Tori. "Now."

Tori nodded and helped Cat up, trying to shield her as Jade stumbled forward when she went to get another drink. Once they were out of sight, Beck stepped over a tipsy Robbie and snatched the drink out of Jade's hand.

"You've had enough."

Jade stared up at her boyfriend angrily. "Oh, what are you? The alcohol police?"

"Cat's miserable if you can't tell," Beck snapped hotly. He took hold of Jade's wrist and dragged her into the corner. "I told you she didn't want to go out."

"She'll get over it," Jade retorted with an eye roll. "I don't understand what her problem is. She's been pouting all night."

Beck blew out a frustrated breath. "Maybe because her parents didn't call to wish her a happy birthday?" Jade winced at that one. "Maybe because her best friend is clearly drunk out of her mind and can barely stand?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Jade cut in. She rubbed her temple with her free hand and had to stop herself from kneeing Beck in the groin. "I am perfectly fine."

"Yeah, you look perfectly fine."

Jade pulled her arm free and muttered under her breath. "Go back to New York."

"What?" Beck said, holding a hand to his ear. "What did you say?"

"You heard me," Jade hissed. "I said go back to New York." She purposely bumped Beck's shoulder and stomped away, retrieving her half finished drink on the way.

Beck grumbled and plopped down next to Robbie on the couch, eyeing him as he tried to keep his eye open. "You okay there, Rob?"

"Too many shots," Robbie groaned, tilting his head back and removing his glasses. "I think if I move, I'll puke."

"Oookay," Beck drawled out, patting Robbie's shoulder. He stood up and decided to go after Jade incase she did something stupid again. It was a lot easier said than done. The club was packed with people. He was never going to find Jade and that made him nervous.

Tori came back with a seemingly calm Cat, looking at Beck sadly. "I think I'm gonna take her home," she sighed, rubbing Cat's back. "Where's Jade?"

"Right here," Andre said from behind, a firm hand on Jade's elbow. "I found this one slumped over the bar."

Jade was cursing pretty loudly and Tori did her best to cover Cat's ears.

Beck shook his head at his drunken girlfriend and reached for her. "Let's go."

"Screw you," Jade spat, pushing Beck away. "Don't tell me what to do."

"Stop it," Tori hissed as Cat cried into her chest. "You're making a scene."

Jade threw her hands up in the air and laughed bitterly. "Oh, I'm making a scene? What are you all embarrassed to be seen with me?"

Andre sighed and patted Jade's shoulder. "Why are you acting like this?" The girl he was with earlier sidled up to him and kissed his cheek. "Uh, not now."

The girl continued to rub her hands all over his body until Jade had enough. "Hey, slut," she barked, getting in the girl's face. "He said not now."

Beck tried to get a hold on Jade before it was too late. Robbie even stood up and held Tori and Cat close. Andre did his best to diffuse the situation but both girls were extremely drunk and there was nothing he could do.

"Why don't you say that to my face?"

Jade just laughed dryly and tired her best to break free. Beck's hands were crushing her stomach but she was determined. She was determined to put this girl in her place.

"I will," Jade snapped. "You better watch yourself."

"Enough!" Beck cut in harshly, lifting Jade off the ground.

"What are you gonna do?" the girl chuckled. "Punch me in the face?"

That was it. Jade somehow managed to get out of Beck's arms with all the adrenaline pulsating through her veins and lunged forward, knocking the girl to the ground. Andre luckily stepped in and blocked Jade from doing any more damage.

"Let me go!" Jade yelled. She was getting hysterical. "Let me go!" Andre's arms held her tight and she shut her eyes.

Everything was crashing down so rapidly.

"_Hey, bitch. What'd you do? Sleep your way to the top_?_ What does Beck Oliver even see in you?"_

Andre did his best to hold his ground. But it was too late. Two burly and bald bouncers came charging over and ripped Jade out of his grip. The other one grabbed the fallen girl, lifting her up harshly.

"You're both out of here," they snapped.

Beck felt helpless as the group followed them out of the club. Jade was kicking and screaming and poor Cat was beyond hysterical and Tori couldn't do anything about it.

"Are you happy now?" Beck couldn't help but yell once they managed to drag Jade far away from the nightclub. The paparazzi were rapidly multiplying but he didn't care. "Look what you did!"

Jade brushed the hair out of her face and rolled her eyes at Beck. "I didn't do anything!"

Beck went to argue back but it was Cat who finally spoke. "Yes you did!" she sobbed, the tears streaming down her face. "You, you ruined my birthday! I told you I didn't want to come and you made me! You made me!"

"I hope you're happy," Andre added in as he reached for Cat. The girl could barely stand as the heartbreaking sobs wracked every inch of her body. "Come on, Little Red," he whispered. "I'll take you back to my place." He motioned for Robbie to follow and Jade was left with the mental image of Cat's heartbroken face.

"Get in the cab," Beck demanded once Tori flagged one down. At that point, Jade stopped struggling. She wiped her tears and sat as close to the door as possible. When they got home, she went to storm up the stairs but Beck stopped her.

"What the hell has gotten into you? Huh?"

Tori awkwardly lingered and twiddled her fingers nervously. She had to tell Beck about Nozu. "She's been like this since you left," she practically whispered.

"Shut up, Vega," Jade hissed. "Shut your god damn mouth."

Beck held Jade around the waist and looked at Tori. "What?"

"She almost blacked out at Nozu," Tori continued, her voice trembling. "I found her in the bathroom puking her brains out and she, she told me not to tell you. I think she went on some sort of three-day drinking bender."

Jade whimpered and felt helpless in Beck's arms. There was no use thrashing because her secret was out. As expected, Tori was going to ruin everything.

"Is that true?" Beck's voice was oddly calm and soft. "Jade?"

"She's lying!" Jade's voice cracked. "She's lying, Beck," she continued as tears pricked in the corner of her eyes.

"When I got her home I found a bottle stashed in her top drawer," Tori kept going, watching Jade fall apart at the seams. "I'm sure she's got bottles hidden all over the place."

"I hate you," Jade growled, despite her hysteria. "I hate you!"

Tori just shrugged and let the tears fall down her cheeks. "I don't care, Jade. You need help."

Beck didn't know what to do. He let Jade stumble up the stairs and ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"I'm sorry," Tori blubbered. "I had to tell you. I just, I just can't watch this anymore."

"It's fine," Beck swallowed past the lump in his throat. Tears were welling in his eyes and he felt so useless. "I shouldn't have taken that movie. I knew when I left she was, she was drinking. I didn't know it was this bad."

"It's not your fault."

Beck sat down on the steps and buried his head into his hands. "I don't know what to do," he admitted honestly.

"I don't know either," Tori whispered. "I'm scared, Beck."

"Me, too," Beck sighed, his gaze focused on the front door. "Me, too."


	5. We're Only Young and Naive Still

"Are you getting out of this bed any time soon?"

Beck didn't know why he even bothered. Jade ignored him and just threw the wrinkled bed covers over her head with a grunt. It had been nearly five days since the incident at Cat's birthday and neither of them were speaking to one another. Cat was clearly still upset, which she had every right to be, but it was killing Beck to watch her scamper out of the room whenever Jade did decide to drag herself down the stairs. They both moped around and Beck was beginning to lose his mind. Jade still didn't think she did anything wrong and since her drinking was now out in the open, she saw no reason to hide it. He'd find her all over the place with a bottle in hand and without a care in the world. She was constantly picking fights and waking up in the middle of the night to puke. Beck felt helpless because no matter how much he tried, Jade just didn't listen. She snapped and berated him…just like her mother did to her.

"Okay, then," Beck mumbled as he reached for his boots. He purposely drew the curtains and felt satisfied when Jade groaned at the bright sunlight.

He trudged down the stairs and found Cat curled up on the sofa with her beloved Mr. Purple. She was engrossed in some cartoon he didn't recognize but as long as it kept her calm, it didn't matter to him. He was glad she wasn't hiding in her room like Jade was.

"I have to go to a meeting," Beck said to Cat softly. He sat down on the opposite end of the couch and frowned when he noticed she was sucking on her thumb like she did sometimes in high school. "Hey, hey," he whispered, leaning forward. "What are you doing?"

Cat shrugged innocently and pulled at Mr. Purple's ear. "Watching TV," she giggled, reluctantly removing her thumb. "Can I come to your meeting?"

"No," Beck sighed. Cat immediately sat up and pouted. "It won't be long," he promised. "You'll be okay."

"I want to come!" Cat cried. Tears were welling up in her eyes and she couldn't stand the thought of being left alone with the stranger her best friend had become. "You won't even know I'm there! Pleasy?"

Beck continued to shake his head and held Cat back when she went to grab on to the lapels of his jacket. "I'll only be gone for two hours."

"Then I want to go to Tori's!"

"She and Andre are in rehearsal all day," Beck said, keeping his voice calm so Cat wouldn't completely breakdown. "Everything will be fine. I don't think Jade's getting out of bed any time soon."

"No, no, no," Cat whimpered, curling herself into a ball. "Please don't leave."

Beck pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed Cat's side. "Cat," he said more firmly, hoping she'd get the point. "I have to."

"You don't!" Cat argued as she broke into a sob. "When you go to meetings you always have to leave to go film a new movie! I don't want you to leave. I need you and Jade needs you! Jade needs you so, so much."

"I promise I won't leave," Beck said as he gathered Cat in his arms. He rubbed her back when she clung to him with all the strength in her little hands. "Can you breathe for me?" When Cat complied, he smiled. "Good. Lie back down and finish your show, okay? Mr. Purple will keep you safe."

Cat smiled and hugged her giraffe tight. She did as she was told and rolled over to her side. Beck leaned down and kissed the crown of her head and lingered in the doorway to make sure she was okay. Beck knew she wasn't okay but in the moment, he believed she was. That's what he told himself while he quietly slipped out the door.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Cat shivered and took a deep breath. She wasn't exactly sure why she was so afraid to be alone with Jade. She barely saw her friend over the past few days. Jade was confined to her bedroom and the arguments she had with Beck late at night almost became her lullaby as she slept under her bed. It was like living with her brother again; all the screaming and fighting were really bringing back bad memories that made Cat just want to hide in a closet until everything was normal again.

Exactly twenty minutes after Beck left, Cat willed herself to relax. Until she heard the wooden stairs creak. She was starting to be able to tell Jade's condition by the way she walked down the old steps. If the creaking lingered for more than five seconds, Jade was clearly struggling to stand up straight. Cat muffled her whimper into Mr. Purple and shut her eyes, begging the back of her eyelids to take her to a land filled with cotton candy and unicorns. It worked long enough for her to stay still while Jade stumbled through to the kitchen without noticing her on the leather couch.

Cat opened one eye and contemplated making a run up the stairs. She could hear Jade mumbling as she rummaged through the refrigerator, presumably looking for alcohol. Jade barely ate anymore and it scared Cat to see her best friend's hipbones jutting out so sharply and prominently.

But before Cat could make a decision, a loud thud resonated from the kitchen. Panic set in and Cat carefully tiptoed to the kitchen. She was expecting to see Jade passed out on the tiled floor and that would surely scar her for life. Thankfully, when she did open her eyes, Jade was slumped over the kitchen table with her prized pair of scissors, cutting up old scripts. There was a full glass of dark liquid also on the table.

Cat petted Mr. Purple and tried to sneak out of the room.

"I know you're there."

If Cat cursed, she'd let the f word slip. "No."

Jade whipped around with a smirk. "What am I seeing things then?"

"Maybe," Cat nodded shyly. She was trying to shield her face as best as possible with Mr. Purple so Jade wouldn't intimidate her too much. "I'm, I'm going back to my room."

"Wait," Jade called out after her. "Come here," she demanded icily. "Now."

"N-no," Cat whimpered. "I'm going upstairs."

"Can you just come here so I can apologize?" Jade snapped. She closed her eyes at how harsh she sounded but Cat acting defiant wasn't helping. "Caterina."

"Don't call me that," Cat protested weakly. "I don't like that name!"

"Whatever," Jade rolled her eyes. She dropped her scissors and took a long sip from her drink, striding over to Cat with some semblance of a smile. "Look, _Cat_," she patronized, reaching out to pat Cat's shoulder. "I'm sorry about your birthday."

"I, I don't care," Cat squeaked, backing herself into a wall. "It doesn't matter anymore. I, I just-"

"Why are you cowering in the corner?" Jade couldn't help but laugh. "You're acting like a skittish kitten."

Cat just blinked and fixed her gaze to the table. Jade muttered something under her breath and returned to cutting up her old scripts. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Jade asked dryly. "I know you're not all that smart but come on, I know you've got a brain somewhere. Use it."

Cat stifled a sob into Mr. Purple and surprisingly held her ground. "Why are you being mean to me?"

"I'm not being mean to you," Jade scoffed in amusement. She polished off her drink and stood to get another one. "You're just acting stupid."

The tears fell from Cat's eyes and Jade felt regret instantly. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her gaze locked on the half empty wine bottle. "I didn't mean it."

Cat refused Jade's hug and hit her with Mr. Purple. "No, no," she whimpered.

"Your stupid giraffe isn't a weapon," Jade said, knocking Mr. Purple down to the ground and kicking him away.

"He's not stupid!" Cat cried in defense, crawling on her knees to retrieve her stuffed animal. "He's my best friend!"

Jade tilted her head to the side. "Oh? And what am I?"

"A stranger!" Cat yelled, surprising both herself and Jade. "You're a stranger, Jade!" she continued in an unrecognizable tone. It wasn't her normal baby voice.

"W-what?" Jade stuttered. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact Cat, her sweet and innocent best friend, just screamed at her in an adult voice.

"You heard me," Cat carried on, her voice breaking softly. "I don't know who you are anymore, Jadey."

Jade winced at Cat's use of her nickname. She hadn't heard it in weeks and it upset her Cat was using it to her advantage. "Stop it."

"No!" Cat held her ground, stomping her foot. "You're, you're just like-" She stopped suddenly, slumping against the wall and wishing and praying Mr. Purple could teleport them upstairs.

"I'm just like who?" Jade asked lowly. She got up out of her seat, her scissors swinging around her index finger. "Go ahead, _Caterina_. Say it."

Cat shook her head and refused to look at Jade. "I didn't mean to!"

"No, no," Jade swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Say it. I dare you."

"Jade, stop," Cat pleaded tearfully. Jade was getting closer and closer and there was no telling what she would do. "Please, Jadey! You're scaring me!"

Jade pulled at her hair. She could see the fear in Cat's eyes but even that wasn't making her stop. She knew what Cat was going to say and if it was anyone else, she would lunge forward and rip out their hair. But this was Cat, her best friend, and sister who was there for her while her mother spiraled down and down.

"I'm just like my mother, huh?" Jade expected Cat to whimper some more and shake her head in protest.

However, Cat nodded. She locked eyes with Jade and nodded again. "Yeah," she squeaked. "You're just like your mommy." She braced herself for the worst.

Jade froze and just stared at Cat, mouth agape. It was happening again. The anger and pain took over and all she wanted to do was hurt Cat. Not physically, but the only way she really knew how.

_Snip_.

Mr. Purple's body fell straight down while his neck and head remained in Cat's hands.

"No!" Cat shrieked inhumanely. Jade never heard a more petrifying sound.

Jade kept going. She grabbed the remnants of Mr. Purple before Cat could and cut off his legs and tail, sinking the sharp blades into the middle. Stuffing fell everywhere and Cat was too shocked to even move or make another sound. Jade reached for the head and cut off the ears and the neck into three pieces. When it was all over, she dropped threw the scissors on the ground.

Anyone else would be able to eventually laugh the ordeal off. Not Cat. Jade knew this was going to traumatize her and now she was really in for it.

"M-M-Mr. P-p-purple!" Cat blubbered as she covered her mouth. The floor was covered in stuffing and purple fabric. There was no trace left of him.

"Cat, I'm, I'm," Jade finally tried to speak after she realized what she had done.

"I hate you!" Cat yelled, using all of her strength to push Jade away before running out of the room with a loud sob that was no doubt going to haunt Jade for quite sometime.

Jade didn't know what to do. She couldn't move as she looked at the mess on the kitchen floor.

She was such a monster.

* * *

Beck hoped for the best and braced himself for the worst while he jogged up the walkway and into the house. He hung his keys on the key rack and took in the silence. Cat was nowhere to be found and he could only assume she was upstairs in her bedroom. At least he hoped when there was a faint but audible sob coming from the kitchen.

It was Jade.

"Jade?" He spoke softly, not wanting to scare her. "Jade, what's wrong?"

Jade kept her head bowed on the table as she felt Beck rush over and rub her back in concern. "What happened?" he asked quickly. "Are you okay? Is Cat okay?"

"I, I did something terrible," Jade admitted hoarsely. She picked her head up and held tight to Beck, hoping he'd just hug her back and comfort her.

Beck tried to ignore the alcohol radiating off Jade and held her. "What?"

"I didn't mean to," Jade started to ramble vaguely. "I was just, she just made me so mad and-"

"Jade," Beck raised his voice, lifting Jade to a standing position. "What happened?"

Jade motioned for Beck to turn around and he couldn't help but laugh in confusion. There was a small mess on the floor but other than that, nothing really seemed out of place. "What am I looking at?"

"Mr. Purple."

"What?" Beck tilted his head in confusion. "Mr. Purple?"

Jade buried her face in her hands and sighed. "I feel awful."

"Wait, wait," Beck shook his head. It was all coming together now. "You_ cut_ up Mr. Purple?" When Jade bit her lip and nodded, he laughed. Not because he found it funny, but because he was at a loss for words.

"Beck, I'm sorry," Jade tried again. It was so unlike her to apologize but when she was wrong, she always owned up to her mistakes. But this wasn't one she could exactly go out and fix. Cat got Mr. Purple (who was no longer available anywhere) when she was five. It was a present from her parents after she recovered from a double ear infection. "I feel awful," she repeated. "I do."

"You should," Beck hissed, digging through his pocket to retrieve his cell phone. He had to get Cat out of the house and away from Jade. "Stay here while I go clean up your mess."

Jade huffed but did as she was told, collapsing back in the kitchen chair as she stared longingly at the remnants of the poor giraffe.

Beck dialed Tori's number and stomped up the stairs when she didn't answer. He tried again. And again. After a third time, Tori picked up in exasperation.

"I need you to take Cat," he demanded frantically. "Now."

"I, I can't," Tori stuttered. "I have too much to do. What happened? Is she okay?"

"Tori, please," Beck resorted to begging. "I need, I need to deal with Jade.

There was a beat on the other end and Tori finally sighed. "I'll be there as soon as I can." Beck hung up the phone and took a breath when he finally reached Cat's room. He was unsure what state Cat would be in. It was getting to be late and there was a slim chance she'd already be asleep.

"….Mr. Purple had to go, go away." Beck peeked in through the slightly ajar door and found Cat sitting Indian style on her bed, surrounded by at least a dozen stuffed animals on her small bed. "We won't see him again,"

Beck knocked lightly and slipped in the door when Cat looked up. Her eyes were all red rimmed and her cheeks were rosy and tear-stained. She forced a smile at curled her legs into her chest when he sat down on her bed.

"Hi," she whispered meekly, petting Mr. Longneck.

"I'm, uh, I'm sorry about Mr. Purple," Beck said awkwardly. If this were Robbie and Rex, he'd probably be the first to laugh. But this was Cat. Sweet and innocent Cat who never did anything to anyone.

Cat's eyes welled with tears. "Why did she do it?"

"I don't know, kiddo," Beck answered honestly. He pulled Cat into his lap and gently rubbed circles on her back. "I think she feels really bad about it."

"Good," Cat mumbled, her fingers fiddling with Beck's ring. She twisted it all around his finger to distract herself. "I didn't tell them he d-died," she continued softly, motioning to the stuffed animals behind them.

Beck bit back a sigh. Cat was starting to completely change. "Cat," he began. "I don't think they're going to notice."

Cat gasped in offense and sprung to her feet. "They will! Mr. Purple was their friend, too! And now he's dead!" She threw her hands over her mouth and began to cry.

"Cat, calm down," Beck said soothingly. He pulled Cat into a hug and was grateful when she sniffled dramatically and stopped. "I think, I think maybe you should talk to someone."

"Huh?" Cat pulled back in confusion. "I don't know anyone named someone!"

"No," Beck couldn't help but laugh. "Like a therapist. Someone who can help you understand what's going on." He sure as hell couldn't.

"Why? Do you think I'm crazy? I'm not crazy!"

Beck held his hands up. "I didn't say you were crazy," he said in defense. "I think it might be able to help you deal with Jade."

Cat considered it for a moment but shook her head. "I just want my Jadey back," she admitted in a childish voice. "Why is she acting like this?"

"I don't know, okay?" Beck snapped. Cat immediately cowered back and looked away for fear she'd make him madder. "Tori is going to come get you soon. Why don't you pack some stuff for the next few days."

"How long do I have to go for?"

"Cat, please," Beck groaned. His frustration level was already through the roof and the last thing he wanted to deal with Cat's incessant questioning.

"Kay, kay," Cat sighed. She grabbed her pink duffel bag out of the closet and began stuffing different clothes in it. Beck watched her freeze once she got to her bed and stared at her stuffed animals.

"What's wrong?"

"It was Mr. Purple's turn to go to Tori's."

Beck ruffled Cat's hair and began to stuff the other animals in. "Why don't you take Mr. Longneck with Lucy the Ladybug, and Petey the Polar Bear. I don't think they've ever been to Tori's."

Luckily, Cat squealed and threw her arms around Beck. "They're so excited!" She zipped up her bag with a struggle and then looked at Beck expectantly. "When is Tori coming?"

"I don't know," Beck shrugged. "We can go wait for her downstairs."

Cat shook her head. "I don't want to see Jade."

Beck thought that was fair enough. He went to check downstairs to see if there was any sign of Tori. When there wasn't, he sighed and dragged his feet to the kitchen. Jade was asleep at the kitchen table. She didn't even stir when Beck scooped her up bridal style and carried her up to their bedroom.

Cat tried to peer in, but Beck wouldn't let her. He dragged her down the stairs and practically shoved her out the door when Tori finally arrived.

"What took you so long?" Beck hissed. "I called you twenty minutes ago!"

Tori stared at him in annoyance. "I told you I'd be here soon. I was in the middle of rehearsing you know."

"I understand, but go. Can you just take her and go?"

Cat's bottom lip quivered as she clung to Tori's arm. Tori didn't bother to fight back because she knew Beck had finally cracked. "Come on, Cat," she encouraged softly, squeezing Cat's hand. "Let's go."

Beck forced himself to say goodbye and slammed the door shut behind them. He took out his cell phone and scrolled through his contacts, stopping when he got to the E's and stared at his phone in deep contemplation.

He was so lost and didn't know how to deal with Jade's problem. So, he called the one person who would.

"Mr. West?" he cleared his throat to get ride of the shakes. "It's Beck. I need your help. It's Jade."

* * *

**MR. PURPLE! I understand that was probably so cheesy but I needed something to happen with Jade/Cat. So...Beck has cracked, Tori is on her way...and Mr. West comes for a visit. Eep. **


	6. Claw My Way Out Through These Walls

**This is why I feel like I should outline my story, hah. I kind of screwed up the timeline here that I planned in my head but let's just go with it! I'm not too happy with this chapter but I feel like it was needed. Thanks again for all the reviews and follows. I'm probably going to wrap this up soon. I also have another story that I've been working on that I'm excited about!**

* * *

With a bottle of Jack Daniels in her hand, Jade stumbled down the street in a drunken stupor. Besides the dim glow of the streetlights, everything else was pitch black. It was then she realized all the houses on Tori's street looked the same. Each one looked like it came out of Stepford and they all had nice, shiny SUVs parked in the perfectly paved driveway. She closed her eyes and took a swig from the half empty bottle, her tiny shirt failing to protect her from the bouts of wind coming from the beach a few feet away. With a slight pout, she hugged her arms tightly to her chest and breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the right house.

Tori was not going to like this.

Jade took a deep breath and gently rapped her fist against the wooden door, kicking it slightly with her bare foot when there was no answer. What if Tori wasn't home? Apprehension took over and the next thing she knew, she was throwing her body into the door, ringing the doorbell repeatedly until the door swung open.

"Tori?" she questioned to the dark figure, tears spilling out at once as she was pulled into the house and wrapped into a warm embrace. "Cat?"

"No," a gruff voice finally answered. It was Andre. "She's sleeping. Jade, what the hell are you doing here?" Andre questioned, his tone full of concern. He flicked on the hall light and took a minute to adjust his eyes to the brightness. "It's three a.m.!"

"I know," Jade sniffled against his chest, gripping the liquor bottle tightly when Andre stared at it, his mouth open aghast. "I need to see Cat," she hiccupped, pitifully, bringing the alcohol to her lips. It burned her throat as it slowly trickled down, lighting a fire in the pit of her stomach. "Please, Andre. She won't answer her phone when I call!"

Andre sighed and gently pried the bottle out of Jade's grip, making a mental note to dump the rest of the contents out when she was out of sight. He wrapped Jade into his arms again, rubbing her back when she shook violently. "Can you blame her?"

"Just let me see her," Jade pleaded, grabbing a fistful of Andre's old and ratty Hollywood Arts t-shirt.

"Here, let's go sit down on the couch, okay?" Andre spoke to her like she was a small child. "I'll go wake Tori up." He figured ignoring Jade's plea to see Cat would be the best option. Jade was too out of it to even notice.

As soon as Andre disappeared from the room, Jade nervously gripped the fleece blanket draped over Tori's couch. It was pink and frilly and obviously belonged to Cat. It even still smelled like her; a mixture of strawberries and vanilla. Jade was doing her best to curb her drinking habit but the last few days were tough. Beck was ignoring her and Cat refused to talk to her. She managed to stay sober for three days, but after the fourth, everything came crashing down. Beck left her for the night to see if that would make her change, but it just made her drink more. The loneliness was eating her alive. But she couldn't ask for help. If she did, everything would change. She knew Beck would send her away. The only constant companion she had for the last four months was alcohol. Taking that away would drive her over the edge.

"Jade?" Tori's voice was raspy just as it always was when she woke up. Jade didn't know what came over her, but she threw herself into Tori's petite arms and held on for dear life. Tori sighed, ignoring the smell of alcohol radiating off Jade's body and held her upright. "Jade, what happened?"

"Cat," Jade mumbled.

"No, it's Tori," Tori said slowly, nearly falling over when Jade's legs gave way. She pulled Jade onto the couch and sat her up straight, her fingers pulling at Jade's rumpled black shirt. "You're so drunk," Tori whispered, biting her lip. "How did you get here?"

Jade looked so confused. "I, I walked," she confessed quietly. "Tori, I need to see Cat."

"No," Tori immediately snapped. "No, Jade. You can't just show up here at 3 o'clock in the morning! Even if you were sober I wouldn't let you see Cat."

"Why?" Jade demanded. Her eyes narrowed and she glared harshly at Tori. Andre reappeared in the room nervously. "Andre, let me see Cat. Now."

"Don't ask him!" Tori guffawed. "Cat doesn't want to talk to you, Jade. You traumatized her," she whispered, her voice breaking a little. "I had to take her to a therapist. He's really worried about her."

"And this is all my fault, huh?" Jade questioned bitterly. She glanced up at Andre and crossed her arms. "Andre, please," she tried again. "I just want to see her."

"No," Andre shook his head. "Let me take you home."

Jade stood up and stumbled over to Andre. She gripped his shirt and tried with all her might to break free when he just held her close. "You don't understand," she breathed out heavily. "I need to see her." Her voice was cracking and the tears were already spilling down her cheeks. All she did nowadays was drink and cry. "Please!"

Tori rubbed her tired face and gripped Jade's elbow. "You can stay the night," she told her softly, rubbing her back. "Maybe tomorrow you can talk to Cat. When you're sober."

"I won't be sober tomorrow," Jade snapped. "You're such an idiot, Vega! I've been drinking for the past six hours! Do you think I'll wake up in the morning magically okay? How dumb are you?"

"Take her home then," Tori said to Andre, her voice devoid of any emotion. "I'm not doing this anymore, Jade. We're all tired of it," she confessed. "You need serious help, and until you get that, I'm done with you."

Jade tried to lunge forward, but Andre stopped her and swiftly picked her up by the waist. He let her thrash all around as she screamed and cursed every expletive word there was. Tori remained unfazed. She stood with her arms crossed, staring directly into Jade's watery eyes. A part of her felt bad, but she couldn't do it anymore.

"Do you think I care?" Jade spat. She had fallen limp in Andre's arms. "I don't care about you! Go off on your stupid tour! I won't be crying myself to sleep when you're gone."

Tori shrugged. "I will. And I'm taking Cat with me. I already talked to Beck about it."

"Don't you dare," Jade growled. "You are not taking her away from me."

"I am," Tori corrected harshly. "Do you think I'm just going to leave her here with you? You can barely take care of yourself, Jade. What is she going to do?"

"She'll be fine," Jade seethed, Andre's arms still attached around her waist.

"She's not fine," Tori laughed sadly. "She tried calling her mom the other day. Guess what? Her number's no longer in service. Her parents completely abandoned her."

Jade swallowed past the lump in her throat and sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. Tori knew that would silence Jade. It was going to take a while for that to sink in so she continued. "So now she has no parents and no best friend either."

"I, I," Jade's voice faltered. She couldn't speak. "Tori, please. She needs me!"

"She does," Tori agreed instantly. "But she needs Jade. Not this stranger you've become." Jade closed her eyes and let out a frustrated groan. "Think about that the next time you're about to drink."

Flinching, Jade turned in Andre's arms. "Take me home."

Andre didn't argue. He guided Jade to his car and spent the ride back to her house silent. She was trembling in her seat, desperate to keep her tears at bay. When they arrived, Jade stormed inside. Andre followed suite, noticing Beck's car wasn't in the driveway.

"Where's Beck?" he asked once he found Jade in the kitchen.

"He left for the night," Jade mumbled, rummaging through the cabinets like she was on a mission. "We had a fight and I told him to leave. He did."

"Then you got drunk all by yourself?"

"Something like that," Jade answered strenuously. Andre watched in interest as she knocked various food items out of the cabinets and stretched on her tiptoes. "Come over here and make yourself useful."

Andre complied and peered up at the bare cabinets. Next to a box of spaghetti was three bottles of Jack Daniels. His heart sank. "I'm not giving these to you."

"Take them down and dump them," Jade demanded immediately. "There's more in the other two cabinets."

"Damn, Jade," Andre sighed, doing as he was told. He could feel Jade watching intently, shaking like a leaf as the he placed the empty liquor bottles next to the sink. It was like they were multiplying. There were half empty bottles nestled in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator and a full bottle of wine hidden behind the two gallons of milk.

"There's more," Jade confessed, clearly ashamed of herself. "Upstairs. Follow me."

Andre grabbed a trash bag and wordlessly watched as Jade rummaged through the cabinet under the bathroom sink. She tossed three empty bottles and stood to retrieve the little nips in the medicine cabinet. They were all full.

"Is that it?" Andre finally asked when Jade stood still. "Any more?"

Jade nodded. "In, in my top drawer. But you're not going in there."

"Then you get it," Andre couldn't help but chuckle. It was obviously her underwear drawer. "I'll wait here."

Jade eventually came back and gripped the full bottle tightly. She twisted the cap off and dumped it down the sink, watching the dark liquid disappear down the drain. That was it. Her crutch was completely gone and surprisingly, she felt okay. At least for now.

"I'm proud of you, Jade," Andre whispered, placing the trash bag down to wrap Jade in a much needed hug. He knew she would have preferred Beck being there. "You're doing the right thing."

"I'm my mother's daughter, huh?" Jade laughed bitterly. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt and took a deep breath. "I'm a drunk just like her." She closed her eyes, letting the sentence settle. It was the first time she ever admitted out loud that she was an alcoholic.

Andre didn't know what to do. He patted her shoulder and smiled down at her. "Yeah but you're fighting it. Your mom kinda just gave up."

"Yeah," Jade agreed distantly. "I guess."

* * *

Beck was hesitant to go home. He had finally heard back from Elliot West and Jade's father was due to arrive later in the day. Beck knew that was going to cause World War 3, but he didn't know what else to do. Jade was completely shutting down and he was frightened beyond belief. Cat wasn't doing much better. He tried to check in and take her out but most of the time; she just wanted to stay curled in bed with Mr. Longneck. She was slowly getting over Mr. Purple, but she often mentioned him like he was a real-live person. Tori was doing her best to hold it all together but Beck knew she was breaking. He didn't blame her. Tori was sick of giving Jade second chances because she knew Jade was never going to change unless they took drastic measures.

When he finally got home, Beck gently shut the door behind him and found Jade in the kitchen, slumped over the coffee pot. She looked like she got run over by a train but he was so used to it that it barely fazed him anymore.

Jade turned around and smiled sadly at her boyfriend. "Hi."

"Hey," Beck whispered, leaning against the island. "What are you doing?"

"Making coffee," Jade replied, a trace of annoyance in her voice. "Do you want some?"

Beck nodded and accepted the cup with a smile. His eyes traveled to the sliding glass doors and settled on the trash bag resting against it. "What's that?"

Jade immediately walked over and picked up the bag, wincing at the clinking. "Open it."

"Okay," Beck replied hesitantly. He took the bag from Jade and peered in, a look of shock and surprise washing over his face. "What is this?"

"Andre helped me dump everything," Jade answered nervously. "I, I have a problem," she started off softly. Beck nodded at her. "And I need, I need to do something about it."

Beck closed the distance between them and wrapped Jade in his arms, rubbing her back when he felt her tears against his neck. "What made you realize it?"

"I showed up at Tori's at 3 o'clock in the morning," Jade began, relaxing in Beck's embrace as he pulled her to sit in his lap. "She wouldn't let me see Cat and I started flipping out. She told me Cat tried calling her mom and her mom's number is no longer in service." Beck rubbed her arm when she started to tear up. "I know what it's like to not have a mom and I don't want Cat to go through what I went through, you know?"

Jade trailed off and began to fiddle with Beck's necklace, closing her eyes when she felt his warm hand slip up her shirt to rub her side. Her head was pounding but she couldn't let Beck know. She was trying to put a strong façade and make him believe she could do this without any help whatsoever. "I don't want Tori to take Cat," she continued after a long pause.

"It might be for the best."

"No," Jade squeaked. "I need her. And she needs me."

Beck sighed and kissed Jade's temple. "I think you need to talk to Cat and explain everything that's going on. She understands you have a problem but I don't think she understands _why_ you have a problem."

"I don't even know why," Jade admitted in a small voice. She dropped her head on Beck's shoulder and sighed contently when he nuzzled her neck. "I feel like a failure."

"Why?"

Jade shrugged. "I don't know. I, I just keep watching you and Tori go off and be successful and I just feel so left behind. My mother told me I'd never make it as an actress and when I got that role after we graduated, I knew I'd prove her wrong."

"You did prove her wrong."

"Yeah, but look at me," Jade sniffled. She wiped her eyes and squeezed Beck's hand as it rested on her stomach. "I haven't booked a role in months. No one wants me."

"I want you."

Jade rolled her eyes playfully. "You're so corny."

"Why don't you go take a shower?" Beck suggested, squeezing Jade's middle. "I'll go and get Cat from Tori's."

Jade nodded in agreement and climbed the stairs slowly, looking down at Beck with a smile. Normally, she'd guzzle down a nip or two in the shower, but since those were long gone, she was just going to have to talk to Cat sober and well, hungover. She made a mental note to take some aspirin before getting in the shower.

* * *

"But Beck, I don't wanna!" Cat cried as Beck dragged her up the walkway to Jade's house. She tried to pull away but it was no use. "I don't wanna see Jade!"

Beck looked down at Cat and rubbed her shoulder. "I promise Cat, she just wants to talk to you, okay? She really wants to see you."

"Well I don't wanna see her," Cat pouted, standing her ground when Beck opened the front door. She petted Mr. Longneck and squealed when Beck scooped her up and brought her into the kitchen. "No, Beck! This is where Jade cut up Mr. Purple. I don't want to be in here!"

"Okay," Beck whispered, pulling Cat close to his chest. "How about you go outside and I'll go find Jade."

"No," Cat whimpered, stomping her foot. "I don't think you're listening to me! I don't want to see Jade! Am I speaking English here?"

"I don't know, are you?" Beck teased, grabbing Cat's wrist to lead her out to the back patio. "Sit in one of the chairs and stay."

Despite her unwillingness, Cat did as she was told and pouted at the patio table. She perched Mr. Longneck on the table and mumbled into his ear. "Don't worry. I won't let Jade hurt you!"

Cat was too afraid to look up when she heard the sliding glass door squeak as it opened and shut slowly. She continued to stare at Mr. Longneck, petting his soft fur and fiddling with this thin tail.

"Hey," Jade's soft voice came, barely audible against the chirping birds.

"H-hi," Cat stammered, her eyes still fixated on the table.

Jade took the seat next to Cat and reached out to touch her forearm. "I missed you." When Cat didn't respond, she sighed. "Can you look at me?"

"No," Cat answered quietly. "I don't want to even talk to you."

Jade flinched, gripping the sides of the chair when Cat pulled her arm free. "I know and I don't blame you," she whispered. "But I just wanted to see you."

Cat began to kick her legs under her seat and hum softly to herself. She was willing to do anything to tune Jade out. "I miss you," Jade repeated, her voice cracking. "Are you having fun at Tori's?"

"Kind of," Cat muttered, peering up at the clouds. "She's always busy though so I mostly just play with Mr. Longneck. He beat me at Candyland yesterday!"

Jade wanted to cry. She took a deep breath and sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, wondering how she let Cat get this childish. "Yeah?" she forced an amused expression, finally sitting up straight when Cat looked at her. "Good for him."

"He's afraid you're going to hurt him," Cat whispered wide-eyed, clutching the giraffe to her chest. "I told him I wouldn't let anything happen to him."

Jade held up her hands. "I'm sorry about Mr. Purple," she sighed. "I really am."

"Why'd you do it?" Cat asked, her baby voice fully intact. "He was my friend."

"I was drunk," Jade said bluntly. Cat tilted her head to the side. "I have a drinking problem."

Cat nodded shyly. "I know."

"I know you do," Jade smiled sadly. She wanted nothing more to reach out and gather Cat in her arms and never let her go. "And I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that."

"But J-Jade," Cat sniffled. "Why do you have a drinking problem? No one tells me anything! Tori made me go see a therapist and he was mean! He told me I'm acting like a child because I don't know how to deal with all of this! I just don't understand."

"I know," Jade whispered. She could see the tears welling up in Cat's eyes. "I don't understand either, Cat."

Cat desperately tried to steady her wobbly lip. "Jadey, I miss you," she finally confessed, tears trickling down her tan cheeks. "But I don't want to live with you anymore if you keep drinking! It scares me."

"It scares me too," Jade agreed. "Come here," she pleaded, holding out her arms. Cat was hesitant, but she slowly stood up and allowed Jade to pull her down in her lap. "I'm, I'm going to try my best to stop, okay? I p-promise."

Cat buried herself into Jade's arms and sniffled. "I want to help you," she said against Jade's chest, reaching down to squeeze her hand. "Pleasey?"

"Of course, baby girl," Jade smiled, holding Cat tightly. "So you'll come back?"

Cat nodded hesitantly. "Only if you _promise_ you'll stop drinking."

"I'm going to try-"

"No, Jade!" Cat yelled frantically. "Promise, promise, promise! You have to promise me that you'll stop and never, ever drink again!"

"Okay, okay," Jade said instantly. She held Cat tight and rocked her gently when the little redhead began to sniffle in fright. "I love you, Cat. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Cat smiled with watery eyes. "And I love you!"

Jade motioned for Cat to get up and led her back into the house. Beck was sitting at the kitchen table with an expectant look on his face. "Well?"

"I'm coming back!" Cat squealed, launching herself at Beck when he stood up. "It's a good thing I brought all my stuff with me," she winked at Jade, screeching in delight when Beck tickled her sides. "Jade, let's bake cookies!"

"Whatever you want," Jade smiled at her friend, holding her ground when Cat darted across the room and into her arms. "Welcome back."

Cat beamed and held on to Jade tightly when the doorbell rang. "Who's that?"

"Probably just Tori," Jade mumbled reassuringly. She squeezed Cat's hand and opened the front door, nearly falling over in shock. "Dad?" she choked out. "What are you doing here?"

Elliot West adjusted his coat and smiled down at his daughter. "Hello, Jade."

"Hi, Jade's dad!" Cat jumped up and down.

"Hello, Cat," Elliot chuckled, bending down to ruffle Cat's hair. "I see you haven't changed a bit."

Cat grinned and shyly buried herself into Jade's side. "Cat," Jade began, letting go of her friend's hand. "Go upstairs, okay? How about you take a bubble bath in my tub?"

Cat didn't need to be told twice. She bounded up the stairs and once Jade heard the bathroom door shut, she stepped aside and let her father in. She could feel Beck lingering behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Jade demanded harshly. "I don't remember inviting you."

"Beck called me," Elliot said warily. He looked at Beck appreciatively. "You and I need to talk."


	7. The Trouble, It Might Drag you Down

Jade's menacing glare continued to vacillate between her father, who was sitting on the couch in the living room, and Beck, who nervously paced around the kitchen with an apologetic look on his face. She tugged angrily at her hair and crossed her arms, slumping against the marble island to bury her face in her hands.

"I can't believe you," she muttered into her hands. "I just can't believe you."

"What else was I supposed to do?" Beck yelled, his tone hushed to make sure Mr. West wouldn't turn around. "He's really worried about you, Jade."

Jade scoffed and pushed away from Beck's arms. "I'm sure he is," she snapped sarcastically. She continued to glare at the back of her father's head. "If he was so worried he would have come running when I got arrested. He doesn't care."

"He does," Beck corrected her softly. "I guess your step-mom's been really sick."

"Good," Jade couldn't help but smirk.

Beck sighed and was grateful when Jade allowed him to pull her close. "I don't know what to do with you anymore," he admitted honestly. "I think your dad can help you a lot better."

Jade tried to pull away but Beck held on tight. There was no doubt that her father was going to try and send her away like he did to her mother. Her mother never went to rehab and Jade always wondered what things would have been like if she wasn't so stubborn and selfish. She could have been alive today.

"I'm not going anywhere," Jade whispered. "I can help myself."

"You can't," Beck countered, his fingers twirling around in Jade's hair. He missed her colorful green highlights; they would bring a certain sparkle to Jade's piercing eyes. Now, they were just dull and lifeless. "You need to go to rehab." It was the first time he ever told Jade out loud. It had been swirling in his head for weeks but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Jade shook her head back and forth childishly. "NO!" she screamed, frightening Cat who appeared behind them seemingly out of nowhere. Jade buried her face into Beck's shoulder and bit back her curse words. Cat had barely been home for an hour and things were already crashing down.

"Jade?" Cat questioned uneasily. She gingerly made her way over to the couple, stopping short when she realized Jade's eyes were watering. "Can we bake cookies now?"

Beck stepped in before Jade could speak. "Not now, Cat. Jade and her dad have to talk."

Cat's bottom lip began to tremble. "But, but she promised!"

"I did," Jade said, getting in front of Beck and grabbing Cat's hand. "Go get the stuff, okay?"

Satisfied, Cat bounced over to the cabinets and climbed up on the counter to find the cookie mix. Beck shook his head at Jade. "No," he stated firmly. "I'll stay here with her and you go with your dad."

"No," Jade bit back in frustration. "Why don't you and my dad go talk about my problems? Go pick out a nice little rehab for me to go to," she whispered hotly, bumping into Beck's shoulder when she went to walk past.

Cat jumped off the counter and rummaged through the refrigerator to get the eggs. She was doing her best to tune out Beck and Jade's quiet argument. But when she shut the door and found Mr. West lingering by Beck, she closed her eyes and latched on to Jade. Though she always found him pretty nice, he was still scary as she remembered. He was tall and very intimidating.

"Let's go, Jade," Elliot demanded lightly. "I made dinner reservations."

"I can't," Jade shrugged smugly. "I'm busy."

Cat nodded. "Yeah, Mr. West! Jade and I are going to bake cookies."

"Jade and I have to talk," Elliot spoke to Cat slowly, glancing down at her as if she were a small child. "It will have to be another time."

"No!" Cat stomped her foot. She held tight to Jade's arm. "She already promised me before you came! You'll just have to wait until we're done!""

Jade looked at Beck. "I hope you're happy," she said to him, trying to pry Cat's fingers off her arm one by one. She rubbed Cat's back and tilted her chin upward to that they were looking at one another. "How about another time?"

There was nothing Jade could say to make Cat feel better. She was already becoming a blubbering mess and Beck knew Jade was going to blame him. Cat just kept shaking her head and wrapped herself around Jade's waist and held on as tight as she could.

"Cat," Beck tried, rubbing the girl's back. "Why don't you and I go to Freezy Queen? I hear they have a new cotton candy ice cream flavor."

"No," Cat protested, her voice muffled by Jade's shoulder. "I don't care!"

"Just take her," Jade instructed Beck icily, gently pushing Cat off her. Beck scooped her up and Jade did her best to ignore the hysterical screaming expelling from her best friend. It was echoing through the foyer until the front door open and promptly slammed shut. "Talk."

Elliot raised an eyebrow. "What about dinner?"

"I'm not hungry," Jade snapped. "If you want to talk, talk. I don't have all night."

"I'm not going to beat around the bush then," Elliot stated stoically. He pulled at his tie and looked at his only child. "You have a problem, Jade."

Jade guffawed and threw her hands up in the air. "How do you know? It's not like you ever pick up the phone and call."

"Beck told me all about it on the phone."

"He's been gone for the past three months," Jade said with an eye roll. "Neither of you know what's been going on."

"You don't want to end up like your mother, do you?" Elliot knew that was going to hurt. Jade winced and began to laugh dryly. "I couldn't save your mother, Jade. But I can save you."

"Save me?" Jade's voice was an octave higher than normal. "You can 'save me?' How nice of you to take time out of your schedule to come and help me."

Elliot ignored Jade's sarcasm and pinched the bridge of his nose. "There's a facility in Arizona that can help you. It's right outside Phoenix. I wanted to send your mother there but-"

"But then she died, right?" Jade snapped. She was feening for a drink now. Her hands were beginning to tremble and everything was crashing down so rapidly. She didn't know what to do. She started to pace anxiously. "I don't want your help, dad. You ran off with your new wife and I've been doing just fine without you."

"Clearly not," Elliot countered matter-of-factly. "Look at yourself, Jade. When's the last time you had a good night's sleep? When's the last time you woke up without feeling hungover?"

Jade stared down at the floor and bit her lip. "You have no right to come over here and judge me."

"I'm not judging you," Elliot countered. He stayed put by the table. "I just don't want you to end up like your mother."

"No, no," Jade shook her head. "There's a difference between that woman and I. I know I can stop without anyone's help."

"Oh, really? What? You haven't had a drink in twelve hours and you think you're sober now?"

"Fuck you," Jade spat angrily. She was trying to ignore the unshed tears swimming in her eyes but she couldn't keep them from spilling over. "Get out of my house."

"I'm not leaving."

Jade threw her hands up in the air. "Fine! Then I'll leave."

"Where do you think you're going?" Elliot yelled when Jade stomped past him with an evil glare. He followed her to the foyer and watched as she tore through her purse in search of her car keys. "Where do you think you're going?" he repeated, his voice rising as Jade ignored him. "Jade!"

"It's none of your business where I'm going," Jade hissed. "I'm twenty-one years old, dad. You have no control over me."

Elliot sighed in defeat. "You're right."

"Yeah," Jade scoffed, clutching her car keys tight in her palm when she finally found them at the bottom of her bag. "I am right. So mind your own god damn business. I don't need anyone's help."

With that, Jade disappeared out the door. And when her father didn't even attempt to stop her, that's when she knew. He didn't really care about her.

* * *

"Do you think Jade's dad will be able to help her?" Cat asked as she finished off her ice cream cone. Despite her earlier protests, she immediately calmed down when Beck pulled up to her favorite Freezy Queen.

Beck rubbed Cat's back when they languidly walked up the walkway. "I hope," he admitted softly.

"Me, too," Cat nodded, wiping her ice cream covered mouth with the back of her arm. She grimaced when it was all sticky and rubbed at it with a pout. "Beck? Will Jade have to go away if she doesn't stop?"

"Yeah," Beck said. There was no use lying to Cat anymore. Everything was already out in the open and Cat was more perceptive than she let on. "I think it's the only thing that will help her."

Cat sighed, but agreed. "Yeah," she whispered sadly. "Will she go?"

"I don't know," Beck confessed. He opened the front door slowly and surveyed the foyer to make sure it was okay for Cat to come through. When it was clear, he ushered Cat in and pointed up the stairs. "Why don't you get ready for bed?"

"It's seven o'clock," Cat giggled, tilting her head to the side in confusion. "I'm too hyper from the ice cream!"

Beck couldn't help but smile. It was nice to see Cat back to her regular self. He ruffled her hair and wandered into the kitchen, stopping short when Elliot was pacing all around and muttering into his phone.

"Jade, I've had enough. If you don't call me within the next ten minutes I'm leaving."

"Where's Jade?" Beck asked immediately. His tone was sharp and demanding. It didn't matter that he was talking to Jade's father. "What happened?"

"She didn't want to listen to what I had to say," Elliot shrugged. He didn't even look concerned. "She stormed out about two hours ago."

"Did you stop her?" Beck's voice was rising. He forgot all about Cat but honestly, she was the last of his worries. "Where did she go?"

Elliot shook his head. "I don' t know. Probably the bar."

"You need to leave," Beck said hotly, pointing to the door. "Jade's right. I shouldn't have called you."

"I tried," Elliot argued weakly.

"No, you didn't!" Beck yelled. "You didn't do a damn thing to help her!"

Cat stopped short and tugged at Beck's jacket. "Where's Jade?"

"Jade left," Elliot told Cat simply.

"Don't," Beck warned. Though he was significantly smaller than Elliot West, he had no problem standing up to him. "Don't tell her that."

"Where did Jade go?" Cat asked Beck curiously. "Is she coming back?"

"Of course," Beck promised, pulling Cat into his arms. She was being rather calm about the situation and he was immensely proud. For once she was acting like an adult rather than a child. "Why don't you show Mr. West out?"

Cat beamed and grabbed Elliot's hand. "Come with me!" She tugged on his hand when the older man remained in place. "Mr. West!" she whined. "C'mon!"

"Leave," Beck said lowly. He kept his gaze locked with Elliot's when he finally complied and followed Cat out the door. Once the door shut, he dug through his pockets to grab his phone.

Jade's phone went straight to voicemail. Beck ran a hand through his hair and let out a frustrated groan, smiling sadly at Cat when she skipped back in. "Can you stay here while I go look for Jade?"

Cat shook her head. "I want to come with you."

"No."

"Yes!" Cat stomped her foot. "She's my best friend, Beck! She needs my help."

"You're right," Beck conceded, motioning for Cat to follow. "I don't know what she's going to be like when we find her, baby girl. Can you be strong?"

"I can be strong," Cat promised with a small smile. "I can be strong for Jade."

That's all Beck needed to hear. "I think I know where she is," Cat whispered ominously once they pulled out of the driveway.

"Where?"

"Her mom's grave," Cat continued to whisper. "She goes there sometimes."

Beck nodded and practically broke every driving law there was. He sped through yellow lights and merely paused at stop signs. Jade was gone for at least two hours. There was no telling what she was up to. When they finally reached the cemetery, Cat directed Beck to where Anna's headstone was located.

Sure enough, Jade was hunched over right in front of it.

"Stay here, okay?" Beck commanded to Cat, who nodded in understanding.

Beck slipped out of the car and approached Jade carefully. He could vaguely make out at least two empty liquor bottles at her feet.

"Jade?" he questioned softly. When Jade didn't respond, he tilted her head up and tried not to wince at her bloodshot eyes. Her breathing was shallow and very sporadic. "Jade, how much have you drank?"

Jade could barely speak. "Beck," she choked out. "I can't…."

"Can't what?" Beck asked frantically. "Jade, look at me." But Jade couldn't. She could barely hold herself up right. "How much did you drink?"

"A lot," Jade whispered faintly. She expelled a few short breaths and slumped against her boyfriend's chest. Her vision was hazy; her head so dizzy she couldn't even form a proper thought. "Beck," she tried again. "Help."

Beck swallowed past the lump in his throat and lifted Jade into his lap. He found another empty bottle underneath her. "Jade," he shook her when her eyes finally fluttered shut. "Jade!"

She didn't respond.

He scooped her up and gently laid her in the backseat. Cat was biting down on her bottom lip to stop herself from sobbing.

"Is she okay?"

"No!" Beck said shortly. He began to speed out of the cemetery. "I think she has alcohol poisoning."

Cat gasped and buried her face into her hands. "But she promised she'd stop!"

"I have to take her to the hospital," Beck said, more to himself than Cat. "Do you want to call Tori and have her meet us there so she can take you home?"

"I'm tired of going with Tori," Cat whimpered. "I want to be with you!"

"Cat, I can't take care of you right now," Beck snapped. He sped up through yet another yellow light and cut across two lanes when he finally reached the street for the hospital.

"I don't need you to take care of me!" Cat snapped right back. "I just want to stay with Jade and make sure she's okay. She's my, she's my," she trailed off, letting the sob she had been suppressing free. "She'll be okay, right?"

Beck sighed and stopped short when he reached the entrance. He ignored Cat's cries and rushed Jade straight into the ER.

It all seemed to happen in a flash. He frantically explained what had happened and after that, two orderly's ripped Jade from his clutches and strapped her to a gurney. He could feel Cat shaking beside him as they whisked Jade away without another word.

"What's going to happen, Beck?"

"I don't know, Cat, okay?" Beck's voice broke as he slumped down in a chair. He hid his face in his hands and tried to stop the tears from falling. Cat sat beside him and wrapped her tiny arms around his shoulders.

"Jade needs to go away to get help," Cat mumbled, letting the sentence settle.

All Beck could do was nod his head. "Yeah," he finally agreed quietly.

"How do we make her go?"

"I think we have to have an intervention," Beck told Cat, pulling her onto his lap.

"What's that?" Cat asked shyly.

"It means you, Tori, Andre, and I need to sit Jade down and tell her she needs to get help," Beck whispered. Robbie had already left and a part of Beck was jealous he didn't have to deal with any of this. "And if she doesn't, then we…"

"We what?" Cat pressed anxiously. "What if Jade doesn't want to go?"

"We just have to hope for the best," Beck said, kissing the side of Cat's head. He pulled her close and just held her as tight as he could. "You're being so strong, Cat. I'm proud of you."

Cat smiled against Beck's chest. "Thanks," she sighed, fiddling with the necklace Beck always wore. "I'm going to tell Jade how much I love her. And if she doesn't get help, I won't live with you guys anymore. I bet that will work."

Beck could only sigh at Cat's naivety. Jade was not going to like his plan one bit and he was terrified of what was to come.

* * *

**Soo, we've reached the climax of the story. I know you're probably all going to be frustrated hah, but it was necessary so I could move the story along. As always, thanks again for all the feedback. They really motivate me to write faster. **


	8. After a Hurricane, Comes a Rainbow

**Again, thank you all so much for your reviews and follows. We've only got about 3 chapters left in this story!**

* * *

Jade was lucky. After running several blood tests, the doctor informed Beck that although she did not have alcohol poisoning, she was very close to it. Her blood alcohol content level was a little over .016, which was twice the legal limit. Beck kept thinking what would have happened if Cat didn't instantly know where Jade was. It had been over twelve hours since he frantically rushed Jade into the ER, assuming the worst. She was still passed out cold with several IVs inserted into her arm, as she was extremely dehydrated and in desperate need of fluids. He managed to somehow cajole Cat to sleep and she was currently curled up next to Jade in the bed, using her best friend's arm as a substitute for Mr. Longneck.

Beck was too afraid to sleep. He was terrified something was going to happen to Jade even though she was under the constant care of three different cheery nurses. He knew Jade wouldn't appreciate that when she woke up. When Cat finally slept, he called Tori and had her come down so they could research different rehab centers for Jade. They finally settled on one that was located in Malibu so it wasn't too far away. The facility was well known for treating celebrity patients so Jade's visit would be kept a secret. At least that's what Beck hoped for.

"Here," Tori whispered from behind, handing Beck a cup of coffee. "You should go home and get some sleep, Beck. You've been here all night."

"I'm not leaving," Beck muttered, tracing the rim of his coffee cup. His gaze kept flickering to Jade, watching her chest rise and fall so gracefully and Cat, who looked like she was having a nightmare.

"Do you want me to take Cat home then?" Tori sighed, already knowing the answer. But when Beck shrugged, she pulled a plastic chair up next to him and patted his shoulder. "I think I'm going to postpone my tour."

It all seemed so sudden. Beck snapped his head up and stared. "No," he shook his head. "You don't have to do that. It's not fair to you."

"But I want to," Tori protested weakly. "I can't leave you and Cat. If Jade does goes to rehab and then I leave for the next month and a half, Cat's not going to be able to deal with it. It's too much change for her."

"I'll make it work," Beck assured her with a weak smile. "You've already given up so much for Jade and Cat. I wouldn't feel right if you postponed your tour."

"Do you think Jade's going to go?"

"I don't know," Beck answered honestly. "I hope so."

Tori could only nod. She crossed her arms and stared at Jade and Cat sadly. They both looked so innocent huddled up together in the small bed. "What are they going to do without one another?"

Beck took a long sip of the lukewarm coffee and stared at Cat solemnly. "I don't think Cat really understands what's going to happen. She says she has no problem telling Jade how she feels but I think she's going to freak out."

"It might be the only way," Tori said. "Jade will listen to Cat," she continued confidently.

"Jade hasn't listened to a thing Cat has said for the past few months," Beck countered in irritation. He apologized when Tori winced. "What makes you think this will be any different?"

"I don't know," Tori whispered, now very unsure of herself. "Cat's like her baby or something," she laughed, relieved when Beck did as well. "I think Cat knows enough about Jade to be able to hit her where it hurts."

"She won't hurt Jade," Beck argued, hoping Tori would see his point. There was no way he was going to subject Cat to all this pressure. "It will be too much for her, Tori. I'm not going to force her to do this."

"What if it's our last chance to get Jade help?"

Beck ran a hand through his hand and looked at Jade helplessly. "I can't," he mumbled, playing with the hole in his jeans. "Cat's already fragile enough."

Tori stopped her argument and peered at Cat. "I'll take her home and try to talk to her about what's going to happen then."

"Don't pressure her into anything," Beck pleaded as he lifted Cat off the bed, gently shifting her to Tori's arms. "You got her?" he asked in amusement, watching Tori struggle to get Cat situated on her hip.

"Yeah," Tori laughed softly.

Cat immediately stirred. She took her head of Tori's shoulder and looked around in utter confusion. "Is Jade up?"

"Ssh," Tori soothed, guiding Cat's head back down to her shoulder. "Good luck," she said, gesturing to Jade, who looked like she was about to wake up as well.

Beck hoped Jade would sleep for just a few seconds later so Tori could get Cat out of the room without a fight. But when Tori lingered for a moment, he gestured for her to go because Cat was desperately trying to stay awake. Jade shifted in the bed right after Tori and Cat left. It was like she knew. Beck reached for her hand and squeezed it softly, worry lines appearing on his forehead when Jade opened her eyes and blinked in confusion.

"Hey," he whispered, leaning forward to kiss her forehead.

Jade continued to blink. "Beck?" she questioned hoarsely. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Beck couldn't help but scoff. He pulled his hand away and dropped his gaze to the floor. All the anger was bubbling up inside of him and he couldn't keep it at bay. "You blacked out, Jade. You're lucky Cat knew where you were. Who knows what would have happened."

Jade, as expected, was silent for several minutes. She rubbed her aching temples and rolled onto her side so she was facing Beck. "I don't remember a thing."

"I don't expect you to," Beck sneered while Jade looked apathetically. "Jesus Christ, Jade. You could have died."

"But I didn't," Jade responded plainly. She barely reacted as Beck let out a frustrated groan. Tears were beginning to flood his worried eyes and for some twisted reason, she was amused. "I'm alive. No need to waste your tears."

Beck ran a hand through his hair and sprung to his feet. "I'm not doing this anymore," he confessed quietly. "I'm done. Either you get help or else."

"Or else what?" Jade hissed. Despite the massive pain between her eyes she sat up and stared at her boyfriend blankly. "Are you going to call my dad again?"

"Screw your dad."

Jade nodded in agreement. "I told you I don't need anyone's help. I can do this on my own."

"No you can't!" Beck yelled, gripping the bar on the hospital bed in frustration. He needed something to calm himself. If he exploded, Jade would instantly shut down and she wouldn't speak to him. "Jade, please. You need to go to rehab and get some professional help."

"I'm not having this conversation," Jade said. She flopped back down on the bed and fixed her attention to the ceiling. "You can't force me to go."

"You're right," Beck agreed. He sat back down and reached for Jade's trembling arm. He knew she was trying not to cry. "Either you go or…"

"Or what?" Jade interrupted, her voice cracking. "Are you going to give up on me? Just like my father did to my mother?"

Beck shook his head. "I would _never_ give up on you," he said forcefully, gripping Jade's hands so tightly that they were turning white. "I just don't know what to do anymore."

Jade wiped her eyes and rolled over so that her back was facing Beck. "I'm going back to sleep," she mumbled, forcing her eyes shut so she wouldn't have to deal with Beck's incessant needling about rehab anymore

She knew this was a battle she'd eventually lose.

* * *

"You understand what's going to happen, right?"

Cat looked up at Tori from her bowl macaroni and cheese and nodded. "Yeah," she began, stuffing a forkful of food in her mouth. "We tell Jade how much we love her and that she needs to get help. Then, Jade goes to rehab."

Tori and Andre exchanged concerned looks. "Little Red," Andre said softly, rubbing his hand up and down Cat's back. "Jade might not go to rehab."

"But she has to!" Cat cried, nearly choking on her food. "She has to go!"

"I know," Tori said, Beck's words echoing in her mind. Cat was already on edge and Jade wasn't even home yet. There was absolutely no way she was going to be able to sit through this without having a complete emotional breakdown. "We just have to hope for the best."

Cat began pushing her macaroni around in the bowl and sunk her teeth in her bottom lip when it began to wobble. "I don't want to do this anymore."

"What?"

"I don't want to do this," Cat admitted in fright. She shook her head when Tori went to hug her and let the tears fall down her cheeks. "I'm too scared."

"It's okay to be scared," Andre assured her. "We're all scared, Cat."

"I think Jade will listen to you the most," Tori began, brushing off Andre's glare.

"Tori," he cut in, shaking his head. "Don't."

Cat looked at both of her friends in confusion. "I'll, I'll try," she whimpered, sliding off the stool and burying herself into Tori's arms. "I just want my Jade back, Tor. I don't understand why she won't stop drinking."

"I know," Tori sighed, rocking Cat back and forth. She knew Cat was trying to keep herself composed. "You can do this, Cat. I know you can. We'll be right there with you, okay?"

Cat wiped her nose with the back of her pajama sleeve and nodded meekly. She reached for Andre and hugged him tight, closing her eyes when she felt Tori hug her from behind. She felt safe engulfed between the two people who were there to pick up the pieces when Jade was lost in her own alcohol fueled world.

They were broken apart by Andre's phone going off. He read the text from Beck and looked at Cat and Tori. "Beck said they're almost home. Ready?"

Tori nodded and after a few seconds, Cat nodded as well. She latched onto Tori's hand and followed her to the couch, sitting down in her lap. "Can I sit with you?" she asked shyly, wrapping Tori's arm around her waist so that she'd feel safe.

Andre took a seat next to them and rubbed Cat's arm when they heard two car doors slam shut. Cat already began to tremble in Tori's arm. This was it. The front door opened quietly and Cat could vaguely make out Jade's voice. She sounded annoyed, which was not going to end well.

Beck appeared first, his right hand dragging Jade's left. Jade was cursing under her breath and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her friends sitting in her living room looking rather sad and anxious. She wasn't stupid. She knew what they were doing.

"What the hell is this?" she sneered, making direct eye contact with Cat.

Cat slid off Tori's lap and ran directly to Jade, wrapping her arms around Jade's waist and squeezing the life out of her. "An intervention, Jade," she whispered against the taller girl's chest.

Tori, Andre, and Beck sighed and watched Jade's eyes widen angrily. She pushed Cat off her and crossed her arms. "You've got to be joking."

"It's not a joke, Jade," Beck said. He forced Jade to sit down in the armchair and perched himself on the edge. Cat scampered back to Tori and sat down in the singer's lap so that her back was facing everyone. "You need help."

"Oh my god," Jade couldn't help but laugh. "You guys are actually going to waste my time and tell me why I need to go rehab?"

Tori rubbed Cat's back and sighed. It took all of three seconds for the little redhead to breakdown. "Can't you see what you're causing?" she whispered, trying her best to console Cat as she sobbed into her chest.

"Jade, come on," Andre said softly. Jade had never seen him so serious before. He rubbed his hands together nervously and stared Jade down. "If you don't go to rehab I'm not going to talk to you anymore," he said simply. Andre was never one to beat around the bush. "I won't let you use my studio either."

Jade rolled her eyes and shrugged, nonplussed. "How will I live? We're not even friends anyway."

"We are," Andre corrected harshly. "You know we are. Look at what you're doing to Cat, Jade." His voice got eerily quiet and Jade began to fidget. "You wanna keep this up and hurt yourself? Fine. But Cat doesn't deserve this."

"Stop bringing her into this," Jade demanded. She turned to Tori and looked at her in annoyance. "Don't waste your breath, Vega. I don't want to listen to what you have to say."

"Too bad," Tori snapped. She handed Cat to Andre and rubbed her knees nervously. Telling Jade how she felt was easier said than done. "Look, I know we have a love-hate relationship but Jade, this has to end. You may not consider me a friend but I consider you one and I'm not going to sit here anymore while you throw your life away. You have, you have so much potential and it's all going to waste. Do you really want to be a washed-up actress at the age of 21?"

"Enough," Jade held up her hand. "I said I don't want to listen to you."

"Fine," Tori threw her hands up in the air. "You do whatever you want Jade. But know this; I won't help you out anymore. So the next time you find yourself sitting in a jail cell you better call someone else and hope they come and bail you out."

That struck a chord. Jade flinched and turned to look at the lamp next to her.

"If you don't get help I'll take Cat," Tori continued. She knew this was going to make Jade flip. "She can come live with me, right, Cat?"

Cat nodded against Andre's chest. "Yeah," she whimpered.

"I don't care," Jade tried to sound confident, but the evident crack in her voice gave her away.

Beck shook his head. "You do care, Jade. Cat's your best friend."

Jade had enough. She stood up and sidestepped Beck when he went to grab her arm and force her back down. "I don't care anymore," she whispered, just loud enough for everyone to hear. "You can all leave me. I couldn't care less."

"Jade," Beck tried again, his voice cracking. He couldn't stop the tears from welling up in his eyes. Jade just looked so desolate. She was clearly shaken from the mention of Cat moving out. Despite his earlier reservations, he was going to push Cat on Jade now. It was the only way. "Cat," he whispered, walking over to the redhead and rubbing her back. "Didn't you want to say something to Jade?"

"No," Jade shook her head frantically. "No!" she yelled.

She was breaking and they all knew it.

Cat peeked her head out from Andre's chest and looked up at Beck helplessly. "I, I dunno," she stuttered. "Yes," she finally answered as Beck helped her stand up.

"Don't you dare," Jade immediately hissed, pointing her index finger at Cat. When Cat started to walk toward her, she backed herself into a wall. "Don't you dare say anything to me. After everything I've done for you! I took you in when your parents didn't want you anymore."

Cat closed her eyes and tried to brush off the pain from Jade's harsh, but true statement. She stopped a few feet in front of Jade and peered down at the floor shyly. "Jade, please." Her voice was barely above a whisper and very similar to a child's. "You need to get help."

"No," Jade whispered back, defiantly.

"Yes!" Cat screamed, stomping her foot and startling the others. "Stop being so stubborn and go! Just go to rehab, Jade!"

Jade simply looked at Cat smugly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Fine!" Cat began to sob. "Then I'm leaving then! I'm going to live with Tori and you won't be my best friend anymore. Tori will. I'll never, ever talk to you again either."

"What-"

Cat let out a strangled whimper and stared at Jade. "I'm not done talking!"

Beck motioned for Tori and Andre to stay back when they both looked like they were going to swoop in and remove Cat from the situation. Jade's eyes were slowly beginning to soften as they glistened with tears.

"You've always been my best friend, Jadey," Cat continued quietly. She bravely reached for Jade's hands and held them tight. "You've always taken care of me and I looked up to you so much," she sniffled. "But I don't anymore. You're a stranger to me."

"The place is in Malibu," Beck jumped in when Jade looked like she was about to crumble. "It's a 30-day program and it's right on the beach."

"I hate the beach," was all Jade could say. Cat was still clinging to her hand like a child would to a mother. "I hate Malibu more."

"They can help you," Tori added in softly. "Come on, Jade," she coaxed when Jade turned away and whimpered. "You can do this."

Jade closed her eyes and finally broke down when she felt Cat's little arms encircle her waist. "Beck," she pleaded with her boyfriend. "Get her off me."

Cat only held on tighter as Beck shook his head. "Beck!" she tried again, her voice screeching desperately. Jade tried to extract Cat herself, but the redhead's grip was too tight. "Get her off of me!"

"I'll help you pack your stuff," Beck continued with the notion that Jade was actually going to go. "Come on, baby."

"I don't want to go," Jade said brokenly. She tried once again to remove Cat, but it was no use. Cat wasn't going anywhere and no one was going to let her go anywhere until she agreed.

"Please, Jadey, please," Cat whispered heartbreakingly. She stood on her tiptoes and buried her face into the crook of Jade's neck. "I already lost my mom," she mumbled. "I don't want to lose my big sister, too."

That was it. All of the emotions Jade kept locked inside for months came spilling out. A heart-wrenching sob expelled from her lips and Cat backed away in fear, relieved when Andre held her tight.

"What's it gonna be?" Beck asked softly, taking three careful steps over to Jade and pulling her against his chest. It only made her sob more.

"J-Jadey," Cat started, wiggling her way out of Andre's arms. She grabbed Jade's free arm and hugged it tightly. "Please go."

Jade closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Beck's shoulder. "Fine," she mumbled after a solid minute of contemplation.

"W-what?" Beck pulled back in surprise, trying to make sure he heard right. "What did you say?"

Jade looked at everyone in the room and dabbed her eyes, letting out a defeated laugh that somehow brought comfort to her friends. "I'll go."


	9. Cleaning Up This Holy Mess I Made

**As we approach the end of this story I seriously can't thank you all enough for the reviews and follows. I think I'm going to wrap this up in the next chapter with a short epilogue to follow. Last night, I sort of had an idea to write a prequel when Jade is 16 that basically chronicles life with her mother and to see how that mirrors Jade's life in this story (if that makes sense). Let me know if you're interested!**

* * *

"How are you feeling today, Jade?"

"Okay."

It was the same answer for the past fifteen days. She was just 'okay.' It was better than some of the other patients though. Jade rarely opened up much during the individual therapy sessions. It was the group sessions that got to her. There was something about listening to mothers and fathers desperate to get sober so they could be reunited with their children that made her cry. Her strong façade didn't hold up too well in rehab. It took all of three hours for Jade to breakdown and call Beck sobbing, saying she wanted to come home. But he wouldn't let her. Though she could voluntarily check herself out whenever she wanted, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She kept thinking about Beck and the rest of her friends and how disappointed they would be.

She knew they'd leave her if she checked out early.

Everything happened so fast; after she finally agreed to go, she was whisked upstairs by Beck and packing her clothes. Poor Cat didn't think she was going to go immediately. They had never been apart for more than a week and Jade could still hear Cat's hysterical sobs as Tori pulled her away and held her back so she wouldn't be able to run after her and Beck when they left. It was hard. Tori was leaving three days after and Jade mentioned it to Cat, who, of course, didn't understand why everyone had to leave.

Tori approached her awkwardly while she was packing her stuff. Jade remained stiff towards her sometimes friend, but automatically said no when Tori mentioned something about postponing her tour. Jade was well aware of how much Tori gave up to rush to Cat's side or even her own side. Jade still felt guilty that Tori had to bail her out of jail that night. She couldn't live with herself if she continued to allow Tori to push back her dreams because of her. It was time she start taking responsibility for her actions. They eventually settled on some sort of agreement that made them feel just like Cat's parents. Tori would take Cat with her on the second leg of the tour, which covered most of the east coast. Beck was going to try his best to tend to Cat alone but Jade knew that wasn't going to fare well for either of them. So, she somehow coaxed Trina Vega into helping out. Trina fascinated Cat and the little redhead loved her. The feeling wasn't very mutual but Cat was blissfully unaware of that. Jade wasn't too keen on the idea but Tori reassured her several times Trina had grown up over the years.

After less than successful therapy session ended, Jade hightailed it back to her room right after. She forced a smile when she encountered the middle-aged woman who was staying in the room next door but left no room for conversation. She wasn't there to really make friends. She just wanted to focus on her recovery so she could get out and hopefully get her career back on track.

The center was having some sort of "family day" which struck her as a bit ridiculous. She was only allowed to use the phone once a day for ten minutes. That was if her therapist deemed her visit a successful one. Dr. Lockwood allowed her to have one visitor but Jade wasn't so sure if she wanted Beck to visit. She was vulnerable and the thought of Beck seeing her so broken was enough to make her relapse in a heartbeat. Cat was obviously out of the picture. Jade expected lots of tears if Cat were to visit. It would be too much for both of them. She missed her best friend dearly but it was in Cat's best interest that she didn't visit. They still hadn't spoken since Jade left. Cat did send a few letters but Jade never wrote back for fear it would send Cat more into an infantile state.

There was a slight knock on the door that jarred Jade awake from her dream-like state. She fixed herself in the mirror and opened the door a crack. It was Katie, a nurse at the center who was in her late 20's. She was peppy, but Jade liked her.

Katie smiled. "You have a visitor, Ms. West."

Jade bit her lip and shrugged. She wasn't sure Beck was going to come after she pretty much told him not to. "Who is it?"

"Your handsome boyfriend," Kate continued to smile brightly. "I'd get out there soon if I were you. He's charming the nurses left and right."

Jade couldn't help but laugh. Typical Beck. Everywhere he went Beck was fawned over. Most people were so star struck that they just stared and pointed, but Beck always smiled at them. He was so good at handling his fame and treated everyone with the same kindness and respect as he would a close friend.

"It's only a quick visit if you decide to see him," Katie assured Jade softly, sensing her uneasiness. "I can tell him you're not up to it…"

"No," Jade shook her head. "I'll see him."

Jade knew deep down it would sting a hell of a lot once Beck left but in that moment, all she could think about was her boyfriend holding her tight and promising her everything was going to be okay. Some days she believed they were, some days she didn't. Today was a day she didn't.

Katie led Jade to the empty common room and Jade stopped short when she caught the back of Beck's head. He was lazily sitting in a chair and Jade rolled her eyes at his terrible posture. His hair had grew significantly longer; it was shaggy and past his ears. Jade scowled. Once Katie left, Jade twiddled her thumbs and took a step forward, closing her eyes when she could hear Beck shifting in the chair to face her.

"Hey," Beck's voice was soft and cautious; afraid that if he spoke too loud it would upset Jade. He got up from the chair and took small steps toward his girlfriend, holding himself back from grabbing her.

Jade finally opened her eyes and felt her eyes well up immediately. She was almost sure she cried more times in rehab than she did in 21 years. "Hi," she choked out, falling into Beck's embrace without any hesitation.

"Look at you," Beck whispered, rubbing Jade's back and kissing her temple. She had definitely looked ten times better than the last time he saw her. Jade's eyes were no longer empty and lost. They seemed to be regaining their spark and her black hair wasn't limp anymore. It was full of volume. "You look great."

"Cut your hair," Jade snipped good-naturedly. She pulled back and ran a hand through Beck's unruly hair, tugging at it gently. "Look at this mess. You look like a lion."

Beck chuckled and poked Jade's side. "I like it."

"I don't," Jade rolled her eyes, unable to contain her smile when Beck's arms encircled her waist and pulled her close. "Cut it," she repeated. "Soon."

"We'll see," Beck teased, bringing Jade over to the uncomfortable couch. He grabbed the stray envelope resting on the table and presented it to Jade. "This is from Cat."

Jade raised an eyebrow and refused the envelope. "What is it?"

"I don't know," Beck shrugged. "I promised Cat I wouldn't open it."

Instead of ripping the envelope open, Jade pushed it aside and stared at her lap to avoid eye contact with Beck. "How is she?"

Beck was silent.

Jade lifted her gaze and nervously wrung her hands together. She was still learning how to cope with her problems without turning to alcohol. "Beck?" she pressed urgently. "How's Cat?"

"She's okay," Beck finally answered. "We had some rough nights but, uh, she's with Tori now in Texas."

"I thought she wasn't going with Tori until next week?"

Beck could only sigh. "It was just all…it was too much change for her," he whispered, reaching for Jade's trembling hands. "But it's okay now, I promise."

"I don't believe you," Jade pulled back, dabbing her eyes. She had officially lost the ability to control any of her emotions.

"Jade, calm down," Beck soothed. He brushed the hair out of Jade's eyes and was grateful when she allowed him to hug her tightly. "Cat's doing fine, I promise," he repeated, emphasizing the last word forcefully.

"You better not be lying to me."

Beck couldn't help but chuckle as he rested his chin atop Jade's head. "I'm not."

"Good," Jade sniffled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "I miss her…"

"I know," Beck smiled, kissing Jade's forehead. "I do, too."

Jade scowled. "You've gone what, three days without seeing her? Try fifteen."

"But she's so proud of you," Beck said. "We all are. I can already see you're making so much progress, babe. You look more…alive."

"I'm trying," Jade admitted meekly. "It's hard," she whimpered, leaning into Beck's arms again. It was the only place she felt safe nowadays. "I want to quit sometimes and just come home but I know, I know it's not the right choice."

"You can do it," Beck assured her comfortingly. "You're halfway there."

Jade just closed her eyes and reveled in Beck's strong embracing, inhaling the comforting scent of his cologne that he had been using since the ninth grade. It was a bit musty, but not at all overpowering. She had given it to him on their first Christmas together and of course, made him wear it every day. Seven years later, he still did without any pressure from Jade at all.

"Have you made any friends?" Beck joked, relieved when Jade scoffed and pulled back with a laugh. "Is Lindsay Lohan here? I bet she is."

"She's not," Jade laughed genuinely. She almost forgot what her actual laughed sounded like. "But give it time. I'm sure she'll be in soon."

Beck saw the nurse lingering in the doorway gesturing to her watch and sighed. "I think they're kicking me out, babe," he told Jade quietly. "I would stay longer if I could."

"It's better this way," Jade admitted, leaning forward to kiss Beck on the lips. "It won't hurt as much if you leave now."

"You can do this, Jade," Beck assured her confidently. With one last hug and kiss, he dropped his arms and watched her stay in place. "I love you."

Jade groaned inwardly at the tears welling in her eyes again. "I love you, too," she whispered back. "Thanks for not giving up on me."

"Never," Beck smiled, stealing a quick kiss before the portly nurse threw him out of the room by his unkempt hair.

Jade waved pitifully and grabbed the manila envelope. Her name was written in a pink crayon with Cat's signature bubbly handwriting. It was decorated with glitter and a mess of animal stickers. Once she got back to her room, she dropped it on her bed and let her finger trail over the clasp at the back. It took her a good five minutes to coax herself into opening it. Once she did, she dumped the contents all over the bed and couldn't help but smile.

There were at least a dozen colored pictures of puppies, penguins, and ducks (ugh). The duck one had a cute little note that read: _"how can you hate this duckie?!" _It made Jade giggle…something she rarely did. There was a bunch of brightly colored friendship bracelets that Cat obviously made and half a heart necklace with the word 'friend' on it. Jade rolled her eyes but slipped it around her neck anyway. Best friend necklaces were obviously way too juvenile for her but it meant a lot to Cat so she was going to keep it on for the time being. Or, at least keep it hidden under her shirt.

Under the picture of a blue colored reindeer, Jade found a postcard. She fingered it gently and willed herself to turn it over. It was from two days ago. Cat must have sent everything to Beck over night.

_Howdy Jadey!_

_Hehe, that's how they say hi in Texas! I'm in Texas with Tori! She says hello! Andre says 'yo!' Yo is such a fun word. YO! Texas is so fun! I wish you were here but I know you're getting better in Malibu. I'm so proud of you! I can't wait to see you. I'm going to run and jump into your arms and never ever let you go! Tori's stylist is letting me help pick out clothes for Tori to wear. I'm so good at it! Phooey, I'm running out of room! We are going to Dallas tonight. Yee-haw!_

_Bye Jade!_

_LOVE CAT! _

_PS, I found a Mr. Purple lookalike today. I can't wait for you to meet him! As long as you don't have scissors around. ;)_

"Oh, you crazy Cat," Jade laughed as she stuck the postcard above her bed. She began to hang up the rest of Cat's pictures on her bare walls. They were going to help her finish the last fifteen days strong.

* * *

Cat couldn't sleep. The bed on Tori's tour bus wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing in the world. There was barely any room in the small twin bed for her to roll around. Her stuffed animals barely fit anywhere! She was too afraid to turn over, for fear she'd fall right onto the floor. The bus ride was pretty rocky and although the driver was overly friendly, he wasn't that great of a driver. It kind of made Cat's stomach queasy. With a pout, she gently peeled back the curtain of her bunk and slipped out, holding onto the sides of the bus so she wouldn't fall over when the bus cut into another lane.

She made her way to the back of the bus and quietly opened the small door to Tori's makeshift bedroom. Since it was her tour after all, Tori got a nice full size bed in the back and didn't have to deal with the bunks. Cat climbed into the bed and crawled to where Tori was passed out, shaking her gently.

"Tori?"

Tori moaned and opened one eye, barely being able to make out Cat's small figure in the dark room. "Cat?"

"It's me," Cat giggled, holding Mr. Longneck. "Can I stay with you? I can't sleep."

"Of course," Tori yawned, reaching up and turning on the bedside lamp. She opened the covers and tucked them around Cat once she was settled. "Did you have another bad dream?"

Cat shook her head. "No. I just can't sleep." She snuggled close to Tori and dropped her head on her friend's chest. "I keep thinking about Jade."

"She's doing great," Tori reminded Cat softly, rubbing her head. "Remember? Beck told you all about it when you talked to him earlier."

"I know," Cat sighed tearfully. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and immediately pouted when Tori pulled it away.

"We're not doing that."

"It helps me sleep," Cat tried to argue, but Tori wasn't having it. She untangled herself from Tori's grip and rolled onto her side so that her back was facing her so she could stick her thumb back in her mouth.

Tori just shook her head. "I'm not dumb, Cat."

"I'm sleeeeeeping!" Cat sang, her voice clearly muffled by her thumb.

It was no use to start a fight over it at 2 o'clock in the morning. Tori laughed to herself and shut the light back off, jumping in place when Cat whimpered and sat up. Tori turned the light back on and looked at Cat sadly.

"What's wrong now?"

"It's too dark in here," Cat admitted childishly. "Can't we sleep with the light on?"

"I can't sleep with the light on," Tori groaned back, her tone eerily similar to Cat's. "How about we watch a movie?"

Cat nodded. She liked that idea. "Toy Story?"

Tori tried not to roll her eyes. She and Cat had watch Toy Story four consecutive nights in a row. But it calmed Cat so Tori couldn't complain too much, at least not yet. Cat got up and put in the movie, snuggling back under the covers and tracing the brown spots on Mr. Longneck. Cat had only been with her for a week and Tori was already drained. She had a newfound respect for Jade and Beck. She didn't know where they got all the energy to look after Cat.

"Tori?" Cat said after a good fifteen minutes of silence.

Tori was lulling in and out of sleep. "Yeah?"

"Do you think Jade misses me?"

"Of course she does, Cat," Tori whispered, rolling over to her side so that she could rub Cat's stomach. Before she left, Jade told her all about how she kept Cat calm when she was about to have a breakdown. Most of her tips worked but Tori knew it wasn't the same for Cat. "Why wouldn't she?"

"I just don't want her to be mad at me," Cat continued. "Remember how mad she was when we did the intervention? She, she barely say goodbye to me."

"It was too hard for her," Tori said comfortingly. "You guys have been best friends for sixteen years, Cat. She thought it was better to just go quickly so that it wouldn't hurt you more."

Cat sighed in confusion. "I don't understand!"

"Someday you will," Tori promised, pulling Cat against her chest. Jade said when Cat's whines began to intensify to pull her close and rub circles on her back. It worked like a charm and Tori sighed thankfully. "Get some sleep, okay? Melanie is taking you shopping tomorrow morning to get some new clothes for me to wear on the rest of the tour."

"I'm going to get you lots of sparkly clothes!"

Tori laughed. "Okay, Cat. Good night."

"Night, night," Cat mumbled tiredly. She rubbed her eyes and shifted all around in the bed until she got comfortable. "Tori?"

"Cat?"

"How many more sleeps until I get to see Jade?"

"I don't know," Tori mumbled. She rubbed her forehead and remembered Beck saying something about taking Jade on a secluded vacation once they got settled. Instead of giving Cat a ballpark figure, she shushed her tiny whimpers. "Night."

Cat knew it was time to stop. She rolled away from Tori and shut the movie off, knowing she'd never sleep if she kept it on. "Night, Tor." She felt Tori reach over and ruffle her hair but she couldn't smile. Cat knew it was a terrible feeling to have but she wished it were Jade. Tori had done so much for her over the past few months and she was grateful, but no one could replace her Jade. She just hoped things were going to go back to normal when Jade finally returned from rehab.


	10. If You Get Lost You Can Always Be Found

**We've reached the end! I just want to thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. I hope this ending suffices. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday! I'll see you all with my next story-whenever that may be.**

* * *

Jade had been sober for forty-five days.

She took her recovery day by day. Beck was still watching her like a hawk but she enjoyed it. It finally made her realize he was never going to give up on her like her father gave up on her mother. Beck was supportive and knew just what to do when she suddenly felt like drinking. He dragged her to AA meetings three times a week and although Jade didn't think she needed _that_ much help, she still went and listened. On occasion, she shared. It was an odd feeling to have so much support from a room full of strangers but it made her grateful. They all had been through the same thing as her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Jade couldn't help but roll her eyes as Beck reached for her suitcase. The JFK airport in New York City was crawling with over eager paparazzi, waiting impatiently to get the first shot of Jade West out in public for the first time since leaving rehab two weeks ago. While Beck wanted to go some place private, Jade insisted they go to New York City to catch Tori's final show. Beck knew it was more to see Cat, but he went along with it. Jade still hadn't spoken to Cat. They both decided it was best not to tell her that Jade was home. Though she felt great, Jade still had a long road ahead of her. Tori knew the two were coming to see her show but she promised to keep it a secret from Cat. Jade knew the reaction from her best friend would be worth it.

"Yes," Jade snipped playfully once they clambered into the town car. "I'd much rather watch Vega perform to a sold out crowd at Madison Square Garden than lay on the beach in St. Kitts."

Beck grinned and pulled Jade close to his chest. "Jade West, you've changed."

"Watch it," Jade warned, digging her elbow into Beck's side. "Besides," she cleared her throat airily. "We can go to St. Kitts anytime."

"We can."

"I think I owe it to Vega to support her," Jade whispered. Her tone was dull, but Beck knew she was genuine. "After all, she put up with a lot of crap. And she's had Cat for the past month and a half."

Beck rubbed Jade's arm as they fell into a comfortable silence. "Are you nervous?"

"About?" Jade asked quizzically. She knitted her eyebrows together and stared at her boyfriend impatiently. "What would I be nervous about?"

"Seeing Cat," Beck said lightly.

Jade was silent again. She wasn't nervous about seeing Cat. She was absolutely petrified.

They spent the rest of the car ride huddled together, Beck pointing out various spots where he had shot his latest film. Jade listened with a tight smile, not because she was annoyed, but because Beck's tour-guide voice was beginning to grate. Once they got settled into the hotel, Jade took a nap while Beck (used to the time change), played on his PearPad and mulled over a few scripts. He peered at Jade while she slept soundly, smiling at how at ease she looked nowadays. Beck made a decision to take a break from acting while Jade recovered. A new hit movie was not something that interested him for the time being. Jade's health did.

Beck put his PearPad on the nightstand beside him and cuddled up next to Jade. It was hard sleeping alone in a big bed for a month. Even though it had been two weeks since she returned, Beck still reveled in the feeling of Jade's warm body pressed into his.

Jade stirred instantly. "What?" she grumbled tiredly, trying to roll over in Beck's strong embrace. "You're being cheesy again."

"I just want to cuddle," Beck teased with a smile, kissing Jade's head.

Scowling, Jade pushed Beck off her. "Well now that you've woken me up," she trailed off, sitting up and stretching. Beck pinched her sides when her shirt rode up a little. "Go get me some coffee."

"Yes, ma'am," Beck saluted jokingly. Jade narrowed her eyes, but broke into a smile when he clambered off the bed. "Starbucks or Jet Brew?"

"Why are you asking a stupid question when you already know the answer?"

Beck continued to smile. "Starbucks?"

"Beck!" Jade whined.

"Jade!"

Jade responded by throwing a pillow Beck's way. He easily dodged it and chuckled when it went crashing into an expensive looking lamp. "Look at what you did," Jade chided Beck, pointing to the mess. "Way to go."

But Beck just kept grinning. It was good to have the old Jade back.

* * *

"Girl, if you keep pacing you're gonna burn a hole in the floor," Andre commented while Tori continued to walk around in circles at the venue.

Tori groaned and tugged nervously at her messy ponytail. "I'm nervous!"

"Why?" Andre questioned.

"I just am," Tori admitted tiredly. She was grateful it was her last concert for quite some time. After tonight, she'd be able to take a full month off and catch up on her sleep. Admittedly, Cat was doing a whole lot better than she was a couple weeks ago. "I'm nervous for Cat."

"She's done a lot of growing up," Andre reminded Tori softly. "You did good, Tori Vega."

Tori smiled shyly and plopped down on the leather couch in her dressing room. She sent Cat off with her assistant to go shopping at FAO Schwartz so that Cat could add to her stuffed animal collection. Jade probably wasn't going to like the extra weight in Cat's suitcase when they took her back, but Tori was almost hoping Jade was lash out on her like she did in high school. Even just speaking to Jade on the phone she knew things were starting to return to normal. Jade was snippy, but also very thankful for everything Tori did.

"I'm just afraid what her reaction to Jade being back is going to be," Tori muttered. She picked at her nails and sighed. "I don't want her to morph back into that little girl again."

Andre patted Tori's shoulder in comfort. "I don't think she will. Jade's sober now. Cat was acting like that for attention."

"Jade didn't even realize it…"

Andre opened his mouth to say something but was cut off when there was a sharp knock on Tori's dressing room door. She smoothed out her skirt and stopped short when the door flung open, revealing Beck and Jade.

"We've been waiting, Vega," Jade quipped with a smirk. She didn't even hesitate to wrap Tori in an embrace when the other girl simply laughed and headed straight for her.

"Look at you," Tori smiled against Jade's shoulder, squeezing her tight. "You look amazing, Jade."

Jade pulled back and playfully rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know," she said softly, leaning down to hug Andre while Beck quickly hugged Tori. "Where's the little redheaded child?"

"Shopping with Sophie."

"God, that girl is so annoying," Jade said with a scowl. Sophie, Tori's assistant, was probably the perkiest person she had ever met. She even put Cat's happiness to shame. Nothing bothered Sophie. Naturally, Jade hated her. "What time will they be back?"

Tori looked at the clock on the wall and shrugged. "Pretty soon. I told Sophie to bring her back by five."

"Andre," Beck cleared his throat. "Didn't you want to show me something?" He knew Jade was reluctantly going to apologize to Tori for her actions.

"I did?"

Beck simply pulled Andre up and dragged him out the door, leaving an awkward Jade and Tori lingering in the middle of the room together. Tori sat and soon gestured for Jade to join her.

"Look, Vega," Jade began, twiddling her thumbs as she stared directly at the soft carpeted floor. She couldn't bring herself to look Tori in the eye for fear she'd start crying. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you these past few months."

"It's okay," Tori began softly.

"It's not," Jade cut in hotly. "It's not okay. I should have listened to you guys when I got arrested. God knows what would have happened if I did."

Tori looked at Jade sympathetically and patted her shoulder. "That's because you're stubborn, Jade West."

"Who me?" Jade mocked in her Southern Belle voice.

"I don't talk like that!" Tori and Jade yelled simultaneously. The two broke out into identical laughter, the awkwardness slowly beginning to dissipate.

Jade knew she couldn't beat around the bush anymore. "How was Cat?"

"It was hard for her at first," Tori started softly. She studied Jade's face and sighed when she saw it was crumbling. "But she's doing a lot better. She's more independent. Less clingy." When Jade just nodded, Tori didn't know what else to say. She reached for Jade's hand and squeezed it in comfort. "She'll be so excited to see you."

"I hope."

Tori laughed. "Jade, stop," she chastised lightly. "You're her best friend. She asked Beck every day how you were. She told the crew how proud she was that you went to get help. We had more good days than bad ones."

"I don't know what to say to her," Jade mumbled, absently picking at her black tights. She looked at Tori helplessly. "Or how to explain why I did what I did."

"Just tell her the truth," Tori said. She glanced at the clock. It was almost five. "I think she deserves to know what it's going to be like for the next few months. Don't lie to her, Jade. I think that's why she acted the way she did."

Jade nodded and continued to stare at the floor. The last thing she wanted to do was diminish all the progress Cat had seemingly made over the last month. She didn't want to traumatize the girl and tell her that sometimes, she still longed for a drink and snapped at everyone who got in her way. But she was determined to prevail. She wasn't her mother and that was something she had come to terms with while in rehab.

"You'll be okay," Tori encouraged, holding her arms out. "Come on, give Tori a squeeze!"

"Shut it, Vega," Jade smirked, shrinking in Tori's tight grasp. "You're so bony."

Tori just shrugged with an amused smile and glanced at her phone. "Sophie just texted me. They're back."

Jade felt like she was going to puke. Her hands started to tremble as she stood to her feet, desperate to settle herself before Cat came barging into the room. Tori rubbed her back and went to open the door; keeping it half shut so Jade stayed hidden.

"Tori!" Cat's shrill voice rang through the hallways. "Guess what I got?"

"Tell me later," Tori said in a soft and caring tone. "I have a surprise for you."

"Is it bibble?"

Jade laughed into her hands. She nodded when Tori looked behind to make sure it was okay she opened the door.

"Then what is it?" Cat asked impatiently. Jade knew she was probably pouting.

"Just come in," Tori laughed, reaching for Cat's hand and tugging her in. She stepped aside to reveal Jade, watching the excitement on Cat's face quickly turn into surprise and shock. "Look who came to see you."

Jade waved stupidly. Cat was still frozen in place, the large bag she was carrying now resting on the floor in a heap. Cat, unsure how to react, scooted closer to Tori and tugged nervously at her shirt. Jade blinked back the tears and remained in place.

"Go ahead," Tori encouraged softly, rubbing Cat's back.

Cat didn't need to be told twice. She took two giant steps and launched herself at Jade, keeping her promise and jumping into her arms. Jade nearly stumbled back but held on tight when Cat's legs and arms tangled around her waist and neck.

"Jade!" Cat blubbered as she burst into tears. "I missed you!"

"Those better be happy tears," Jade teased as she squeezed Cat.

"They are," Cat giggled with a sniffle. She buried her face into the nape of Jade's neck and patted her black hair lovingly. "I missed you sooo much," she repeated.

"I missed you, too, baby girl," Jade whispered, trying to keep her emotions in check. Tori excused herself with a smile and shut the door behind her.

"You look like my Jade again," Cat beamed as she slid back down to her feet. She instantly hugged Jade's waist tight. "I missed you."

Jade rubbed Cat's back and inhaled the comforting scent of her vanilla body spray. She guided Cat to the couch and wasn't surprised when the little redhead crawled into her lap. Normally, she'd push her off and grumble about personal space but they both needed it.

"Are you all better now?" Cat asked innocently once the silence became too much.

"I'm getting there," Jade answered honestly. She rested her chin atop Cat's head and squeezed her lightly. "I have good days and bad days."

Cat sunk her teeth into her bottom lip and sighed. "What are your bad days like?"

"I can be mean," Jade chuckled. "Look, Cat. I just want you to know that I'm trying my hardest, okay? So if there are days where I'm snapping and begging for a drink, don't let me."

"I can do that," Cat whispered, playing with the rings on Jade's finger. She snuggled deeper into Jade's arms and let the familiarity comfort her. "I'm going to help you, Jade. I promise."

Jade smiled and rubbed Cat's arm. "I just don't want you to be scared."

"I won't."

"But it's okay if you are," Jade continued after a few calming breaths. She bit back a sigh when Cat pulled away and sat up straight in her lap. "Cat-"

"No!" Cat squeaked, frantically shaking her head. "I'll be fine, Jade! You've always helped me," she pouted, crossing her arms. "Now it's my turn you help you."

All Jade could do was smile. It was still a touchy subject, even for her. "I heard you're picking out Vega's clothes for the tour. She does dress a lot better now."

Cat beamed at the compliment and clapped her hands. "It's so fun! It's like dressing a real live Barbie," she giggled. Then, she turned serious. "Melanie, she's Tori's real stylist. She's so nice, Jade! Melanie said I should go to design school!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Cat continued softly. "There's a school in San Francisco…"

"You want to go to San Francisco?" Jade cut in. She felt her heart drop.

"Someday," Cat admitted meekly, suddenly feeling very small. "Tori said she would help me apply for the next spring semester. That's like…six months away."

Jade didn't know how to react. She wanted to be happy for Cat but she wasn't so sure her best friend would survive on her own in San Francisco. "Cat, that's-"

"Pretty soon you and Beck are gonna start going away again for your movies," Cat pouted. "I don't want to be alone at home. I want to do something with my life!"

"Then go for it," Jade replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She knew she had to let Cat go at some point. "I think you'll make an excellent stylist one day."

Cat's eyes got wide as she stared at Jade. "R-really?"

"Really, baby girl," Jade confirmed, hugging Cat to her chest. "Go for it."

"Do you mean it?"

"Cat-"

"Because if you're lying!"

"Cat," Jade groaned, putting her hand over Cat's mouth so she could stop interrupting. "Go to San Francisco. Beck and I can pay for everything."

"No! I want to do everything by myself," Cat said matter-of-factly. She was grateful Jade was so supportive but this was something she wanted to accomplish on her own. "Melanie has a store she said I could start working at. You and Beck already do too much for me. I'm an adult, Jade!"

Jade could only nod. "You're a real live grownup now, Cat."

Cat threw her arms around Jade and hugged her tightly. "But when we get back to LA can we have a sleep over in your bed? Beck can sleep on the couch!"

"I'm sure he'll love that."

Cat giggled and stood up to her feet, pulling Jade up with her. "Where's Beck? I wanna see him!"

"Beck joined the circus."

"Jade!" Cat screeched in amusement. She grabbed Jade's hand and pulled her out of the room and down the hall.

"I'm serious, Cat," Jade continued dryly. "He's now a lion tamer."

Cat continued to giggle while she skipped down the hall. Once she caught sight of Beck, she dropped Jade's hand and went charging toward him. "Beck!" she cried out in delight, jumping into his arms as soon as he turned around.

"Cat!" Beck mocked, hugging the little redhead tight once he got a firm grip on her.

"Jade's back," she whispered, looking up at Beck shyly. "_Our_ Jade is back!"

* * *

Beck looked at a smiling Jade and rubbed Cat's back, setting her down to the ground. "She is."

"Nice job, Vega," Jade commented once Tori's show ended. "You don't sound as tone deaf as you did in high school"

Tori rolled her eyes and took a large gulp of water. "Hah, hah."

"You sounded great," Beck praised, cursing under his breath when Jade elbowed him in the ribs.

"I'm starving," Andre complained while he rubbed his stomach. "How about we go get some food?"

Beck sent Jade a concerned look and pulled her close. "We'll probably just head back to the hotel and order in."

When it came to eating out, Jade was still very wary. Three days after she got out of rehab, Beck took her to Nozu where Mrs. Lee showered Jade with three different kinds of wine. Beck quickly ushered Jade out of the restaurant and they decided not to eat out for a while until Jade was one hundred percent comfortable. She didn't want to be where temptation was.

"No!" Cat whined, her little fingers wrapping around Jade's wrist.

Tori pulled Cat away and rubbed her shoulders. She clearly got the message. "We could go back to my suite and order pizza. How does that sound, Cat?"

"It sounds yummy," Cat nodded in satisfaction.

Beck motioned for Cat to follow and slung an arm around her shoulders when she skipped in between him and Jade. "I heard you want to go to San Francisco."

Cat looked up at Beck and shrugged. "Maybe."

"Yes," Jade corrected, nudging Cat with her elbow. "She wants to go in the spring."

Jade wasn't too keen on Cat leaving but there was nothing she could go. Cat was an adult and could do whatever she wanted to. "Our baby's growing up," she joked to Beck, laughing softly.

Cat just giggled and held tight to Jade's arm when they left the side door of the venue. There were tons of paparazzi and fans waiting. Beck stepped closer to Cat and Jade to make sure they were protected. He even signed a couple of autographs while Jade lingered behind with Cat, wondering if she would ever get to Beck's level of fame.

"Jade," Beck whispered, taking Cat by the arm. "Those scary looking girls over there want a picture with you."

Jade raised an eyebrow. "W-what?"

"Go on, Jadey," Cat encouraged proudly. She pushed Jade toward the crowd and smiled up at Beck.

Jade never really knew how to deal with the fans. She always tried to grin and bear it but ever since she left rehab more and more people seemed to want her autograph and a picture with her. It was always the hardest part of fame. Why would someone obsess over a stranger? It made no sense.

"Oh my god, Jade West!" a portly woman screeched inhumanely.

Jade fought the urge to roll her eyes and quickly signed a flimsy piece of paper for the woman. "Hi," she choked out awkwardly.

"You _need_ to play Tawny Walker-Black in The Scissoring remake."

"Uh, that would be great," Jade said absently as she signed a few more autographs. "Hopefully."

"You would look _perfect_ in that bloody wedding dress."

Maybe this wasn't so bad, Jade thought to herself with a smirk. "I know."

After all the compliments, Jade was beaming. She even posed for a few pictures until Tori just had to come out and usurp all the attention. Jade returned to Beck and Cat and patted Cat's head when she snuggled into her side. Tori signed as many autographs as she could before security whisked her away into the awaiting limo. Cat climbed in behind Andre and sat in between him and Tori. They spent the short ride back to the hotel in silence. Tori was pretty exhausted, as was Cat. She dropped her head on Andre's shoulder and closed her eyes. Pretty soon, she was fast asleep.

"Figures," Jade rolled her eyes once she noticed Cat. "Do you want us to take her?"

Andre nodded and passed Cat to Beck. "Little Red is all yours. I think it's gonna take a month to recover from being with her every day."

"Hah," Jade smirked. "Now you know how it feels."

Tori climbed out of the limo behind Jade and rubbed Cat's back. "I have all her stuff in my room if you want to get it before you guys leave tomorrow."

"You can FedEx it back," Jade said shortly. "I don't even want to think about all the useless crap she bought on the road."

"I tried to talk her out of buying a lot of it…"

"Bite me, Vega," Jade snipped jokingly. "You probably bought it for her knowing that it would annoy me."

"I did no such thing," Tori smiled innocently. She and Andre followed Beck and Jade into the elevator and glanced at Cat. "We should get breakfast tomorrow before you leave."

Jade stepped off the elevator and shook her head. "I've already spent enough time with you as it is. I don't want the media to think we're friends."

"We have an early fight tomorrow," Beck chuckled as he shifted Cat to his other hip. "Besides, Jade hates breakfast."

"Girl, you're strange," Andre couldn't help but say.

"You're just realizing this?" Beck joked, using Cat as a shield when Jade went to punch him in the arm. "Don't wake the Cat."

Once they reached Tori's room, Jade gave Andre a hug and stared at Tori blankly when the singer looked at her expectantly. "One hug," Jade warned, finding herself holding Tori tight once she got over her reluctance.

"I'm proud of you," Tori whispered just for Jade to hear. "If you ever need anything please let me know."

"Okay," Jade sighed, pulling back from Tori before she got mushy. "See you back in La."

Tori and Andre said their goodbyes to Beck (and a sleeping Cat). Jade slipped her hand into Beck's while they made their way down the dimly lighted hallway. Once inside their room, Beck carefully placed Cat down in the middle of the bed in the extra room they had in their suite.

Beck looked at Jade in concern when she lingered. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Jade said, wrapping her arms around Beck. "I just missed her."

"You're gonna make me sleep in that big bed alone tonight, aren't you?"

Jade shrugged with a smile. "Maybe."

"Okay," Beck feigned offense, kissing Jade's temple. "Can I come to your sleepover?"

"No," Jade shook her head, pushing Beck out of the room. "No boys allowed."

"Fine," Beck stuck his tongue out playfully. "I'll go play with Andre."

"That sounds so wrong."

Beck scowled when he finally understood it. "Yeah it does." He watched Jade gingerly climb into the bed with Cat and curl up next to her.

"Beck?" Jade questioned softly when Beck was about to leave the room. "Can you stay?"

"Oh, now you want me to stay," Beck joked, crawling next to Jade. He slung an arm over her waist and squeezed it lovingly. "I love you."

"Yeah," Jade breathed out while she played with Cat's hair. "I love you too."

The three laid in silence, letting the sound of New York traffic lull them to sleep. Jade, however, couldn't close her eyes. She kept looking back at a snoring Beck and then forward to a curled up Cat. Though her life had been quite the catastrophe, Beck and Cat had never given up. The past few months were tumultuous and tiring but somehow, they made it.


End file.
